Passion for the Hunt
by Hyr'Ayl
Summary: -FORMERLY CALLED STILL ALIVE- The newest Hellsing agent is a vampire with sorcerous powers who will eventually fall in love for the Huntress, and needless to say, change the history of the world. Rated M to be sure. AxI, OCxRIP. From OC's and Rip's POV.
1. An old friend of mine

**Ok, that's my first FanFiction. It's from the POV of an original character and it starts between the attack of the Valentine Brothers and the mission in South America. My character, who has no name for now, is a old vampire with wizard-like powers who is somehow bonud to Alucard.. This is mainly an introductory chapter to present my character and his impressions about Hellsing agents. **** Read and Review, and don't be too cruel...**

**Rated M because of future chapters. There will be some violent scene, not-too-educate language and mature contents.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hellsing...yet. But since i am going to take over the world, soon everything will be mine! Mwhahahahahahha**!

I was wondering if returning in London had been a mistake. The last time i saw it was in 1893 and it had quite changed since then; nevertheless, i considered England a rather safe country at the moment. I wasn't sure if leaving Italy i was going to find any place to stay, but with Vatican hounds behind me my first concern was putting as many kilometres as i could between me and them.

So i was lurking in the shadow in a narrow alley, barely knowing where i was, completely unaware of being watched, and of course unaware of the very existence of the Hellsing organization. Last time i was in England Van Helsing was but a Dutch professor of the occult and there was no anti vampire protestant society.

So i carelessly waited for a victim in that alley. My powers needed to be refilled, although my sorcery made me slightly more powerful than the average vampire even hungry as i was.

I felt the presence of a human walking in a street near where i was, so i jumped without caring much about secrecy. I wasn't going to drain him- leaving ghouls behind yourself is not a good politic if you don't want to be noticed- i'd have just left him dazed and with a litre or two of blood less.

As i was at a step or two distance from my "victim" he turned around an shot me with a handgun.

If you've ever taken a silver bullet in your chest, you know how painful it is. Luckily, the hunter had moved too quickly and missed my heart, so i had the time to roll away and get in battle stance. With keened senses i percepted three more hostile mortals, converging on me.

I made myself invisible. That's a basic vampire trick, not properly a spell, but it was enough to puzzle the humans. They were unprepared for it: probably their average targets were rampaging fledgelings and hunger-crazed revenants, not strong vampires like me.

I ran away rather cowardly. Taking down a few vampire hunters was a piece of cake when i was at the top of my powers, as a lot of people from Vatican Section XIII could tell you, but the long travel had drained me.

I dropped my invisibility when i was sure i had lost my pursuers. And it was then that i felt the unmistakable presence of a vampire. To be precise, of THE vampire.

He appeared before me from the shadow, in red coat and wearing an oversized hat. His eyes were hidden by sunglasses and he looked quite different from last time we met, but his aura was just... his own. No other undead had anything like that, not even the most powerful ones.

"Vladimir..." i said, almost voiceless.

"Do we know each other?" he replied. His voice was even more frightening than i remembered, it froze the blood in my veins and grasped my throat like a leash.

"I...have... just heard of you..."

He bowed down to look into my eyes. Even thorough the sunglasses his eyes pierced me.

"Aren't you that so-called magician that came to my castle a few centuries ago?"

"Your memory hasn't grown old, it seems.." i was shivering, wondering why he kept me alive.

"And your flattery hasn't grown more supportable. On the other hand, my sisters seem to have done quite a good job on you."

I smiled, feeling more stupid than ever in my life. Well, apart from that time i said the girl i was stuck on that i liked another girl and she forced me to admit i liked both of them and then they both hadn't spoken to me for months.

Bad memories.

Anyway, Dracula kept looking at me funny and he grinned maniacally.

"I should kill you now, you know. And your cheap magic ricks wouldn't save you if i shooted you."

"Can i at least be your familiar? Please, don't kill me..." i sounded really pathetic.

"I have something better in mind. These are... great times. And i can't just waste the pleasure of fighting a true opponent right now..."

"What?"

"You are rather... unique as a vampire. I will take a fight against you when i will have vanquished all the inferiors and got bored again. Until then..." He grinned again.

I bowed down, waiting his punishment.

"Until then, i believe you can be a good servant for me. After all, am i not the master of your long since gone mistress?"

"Well... i mean... yes, of course. What do you need of me?"

"First, i need to show you the Hellsing organization. Then, the fun will begin."

"Fun like impaling people?"

"Much, much better!" He laughed, almost losing his shape; eyes filled my visual field.

"And remember..." he screamed "That my now name is ALUCARD!"

Another burst of laughter, scaring the Hell out of every creature nearby.

None in the Hellsing organization did too much to look friendly with me. First Dracula, well Alucard, shown me to the head of the organization, a woman that definitely needed a self control course and a anti-smoking therapy. She shouted a lot of insults at me and Vladimir, that seemed to just stand her. I wondered why. Anyway in the end she decided that i was staying, because they lost all their fighters in some vampire assault.

"Who were those guys that attacked me, then?" i asked, very carelessly.

The woman, i mean Integra, gazed at me with icy eyes.

"Mercenaries. They are but a rough copy of my men, as you are but a rough copy of my vampires. Understood?"

I nodded. Alucard grinned.

"If you are done, i have paperwork to attend to." Integra dismissed us quite harshly and returned to her desk.

"So you have met our Master." said Alucard as we were out the office.

"You mean the great Count Vladimir Tepes Draculea takes orders from someone?"

I was gambling my life, and i knew it. But if she had said i was staying and he couldn't refuse that order i was safe. Or at least i hoped.

Alucard growled. "Yes, she is my master. And don't test your luck commenting."

"I wont." I had ran out of luck that very night when i met him.

A guy with an eyepatch and an improbable braid walked toward us. He looked at me with interest.

"It he ze new vampire you hav' brought, Alucard?"

"Yes. Our newest recruit. May i introduce Captain Pip Berandotte, of the Wild Geese."

"Of the what?"

"Wild Geese." said the captain, rather annoyed. "Zat's ze name of my mercenary unit an it's not going to shange."

"No offence, just curios." I shook his hand.

"Did you two meet at your hairdresser?" Asked Pip, referring to me and Alucard.

Now, i open a slight parenthesis about my looks at the moment. I was wearing a long, black, matrix-styled coat with a high collar, red shirt and jeans and high boots. I had long black hair, much similar to Alucard's, although i could have sworn his hair was shorter when we met. My high-cheekboned face had the usual cadaverous white colour and my eyes are pale red. I looked about twenty years old, although i was much older than twenty decades. I have a black pentaculum tattoed on my forehead.

Neither of us answered to the mercenary, anyway.

"I was just joking... you vampires take everysing seriously, don't you?"

"Always." i confirmed.

Next introduction, the official Hellsing butler, Walter C. Dorneaz. He looked just like an average English butler, which made me think that he was all but an average butler. Vampires have a seventh sense that says them that if something looks normal than it is inevitably dangerous. He shown me where i would have slept, while Alucard returned to Integra. I was about to remark that she didn't want to be disturbed but my eight sense (vampires have ten senses, in case you were wondering) told me not to test my chances.

I discovered that as long as i stayed at Hellsing manor, i was going to sleep underground. Not that it was terrible, but i belong to those vampires that like comfort over creepy looks. Anyway, any vampire can tell you that sleeping in a coffin is better than in a bed. That kind of pleasure is reserved to people who don't need to breath, i suppose. It feels like safety, when you close yourself in you also close all else out. It feels like no one can hurt you in there.

And right then, i needed that felling over everything else.

**Ok, there isn't much romance in here. Actually, there isn't at all. But there will be in the next chapters, i swear. As i've said, this is just a preparation to test my character.  
**

**Chaptr 2 is up.  
**


	2. Memories of someone else's past

**Second chapter here. I will follow the manga storyline, at least for now, but in the future changes will happen. Read and review. **

My new room was small and stone walled. A coffin in the centre, a couple of old chests of drawers at the walls and the dust of centuries of non-attendance all around.

"Did anyone ever clean this place?"

"Not in my lifetime." answered Walter, who had just

"Well, i guess i am not going to spend too much time in here anyway. By the way, is this kind of hosting comprehensive of meals too? I am quite thirsty." Actually, i was starving, but a vampire will never tell you that. Even if he's about to die, he'll say "I could use a drink" or something like it.

"We do have supplies of medical blood for vampires' exigence. I'll go fetch some."

I did my best not to make a sick expression. Cold blood. Nothing worse in the world.

I considered slipping out of the manor and hunting someone, but i wasn't sure i could control myself and not drain my victim. If i created a ghoul it would've meant i was fired from the organization, and fired by Alucard, and the game wasn't worth it at all.

So i just patiently waited for the blood and drank it pretending to enjoy the meal. Well, i actually enjoyed it. When i had finished i looked at my hands and i saw a faint red mist around them.

My full power was back. I was nearly as powerful as Alucard, although my resistance wasn't even nearly comparable to his own.

I spawned a small tornado, part to see if i was still able to cast spells, part to clear a bit the room.

Rather satisfactory. One of the chests crushed as it was thrown on the wall, but the other resisted, and one is enough.

Hopefully.

Among the wreckage of the destroyed one i found a red book, apparently containing photos. It wasn't as old ans the rest of the room's items, although it was ten years old at least.

It was sealed with a small padlock... definitely too much for my curiosity. I summoned a flame to melt the lock (i know i could just crush it, it's just that a wizard never takes the easiest solution) and opened the book.

The first part was, as i expected, photos. It seemed they were mainly teenager Integra. Alucard as well was in a lot of photos. There were a few birthdays pictures, a couple of undescernable occasions and a lot of portraits. An some pictures there were scramblings in red pen, too old to understand anything. The second half of the book was what really surprised me. There were random poetic lines, all in red pen and pencil, a few riddle-like phrases and lots of doodles, mainly of people kissing and hugging. Ok, usual teenager or pre-teenager girl stuff, she had just fallen in love for someone. I didn't know Integra well enough to understand how strange that was. Our Iron Lady in love?

She wasn't a great poetess, but a bunch of verses really hit me.

...

_For your life is doomed to last _

_until Earth moves and rivers flow_

_can an immortal see the haste_

_in a mortal's heart and feelings_

_brief as the life of a butterfly_

_is to your eyes my existence_

_will you remember my name_

_when i'll be gone and you'll live?_

_Is it life when your friends fall_

_and you're still alive?_

_is it life when sun always shines_

_and dawn never rises on you? _

Was it about Alucard? Probably. Although it was stylistically very uncertain and it was clear she didn't completely understand the feelings of a vampire, the ending was just... a good imagine. Although all vampires can expose themselves to sun, though only for short periods, it's not the same as seeing daylight being a mortal. It just seems painful. There's no beauty in sun after you have embraced the night.

Only memory.

I put the book back in the unbroken cabinet and went out in the corridor.

A girl in a yellow uniform stared at me.

Her aura was definitely vampiric, but to say she wasn't human it was enough to look at the ease she was carrying a gigantic weapon with.

"Who are you?!" asked her, wild eyed.

"The new recruit of the Hellsing organization, by Count Alucard's decision. And you are...?"

"I... my name is Seras Victoria, very pleased to meet you."

"Wow, a polite vampire girl. You're the first i met centuries."

"Did you just say 'polite'?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing. I am so used to be called police girl that i... kinda misheard it."

"So that's how Alucard calls you. He has always had a thing for ridiculous nicknames. I was 'trickster'".

"Is he your Master?!" she asked, excited.

"Actually, i was his sister's fledgeling, so he is the master of my master. And the cigar maniac upstairs is his master, so i am her servant too."

Seras dropped the cannon and looked at me like i was crazy.

"You mean... sir Integra... right...?"

"Yeah, i was just wondering how does Vlad call her."

She shook her head, hardly still conscious.

"Did i say anything wrong?"

She nodded yes.

"Oh well. I guess i should be more cautious while i am here."

"Yeah, you really should. The master can read your thoughts, you know."

"Not my thoughts. My brain is screened. That's high level sorcery."

"Oh. Is that some vampiric power?"

"It's my power. I don't know of any other undead who has it, not even Alucard. Do you have any peculiar power of your own? It can be useful for my researches." And to make some casual conversation, actually. Although i was sincerely interested in the fledgling's powers, right then i was more interested to her body.

"I don't have any power. Master says i won't have any until i won't drink blood."

"You mean you haven't had your baptism of blood? Never drank any?"

"Nah."

"Just how long have you been undead?"

"A week, more or less."

It was my turn of looking disconcerted.

"You've probably beaten the record, police girl."

"Don't you start with that too!"

"I will just call you Seras then, okay?"

"Yeah, perfect."

"As you wish, police girl."

Later on, i discovered my mind's screening wasn't enough to keep Alucard out of my mind. Well, right then he surely was proud of me as he heard that.

"Are you coming with us in Rio?" she asked, while she took up her cannon again.

"In Rio De Janeiro? I surely hope so."

"I am afraid" Walter intervened " You are ordered to remain in England to protect the mansion and Sir Integra,"

"Protect from what, precisely?"

"Yourself, for now. I noticed the furniture of your room has not survived the first night."

"Oh. I hope that thing wasn't too priced."

"No, i was simply complaining that the manor is in a sufficiently unstable condition without your intervention."

I waved my hand at Seras as she boarded the helicopter that was bringing them tho the airport. I had no time to speak with Alucard, although i wanted to.

The red book returned in my mind. I had placed it inside the coffin, sure that no one else than me would've entered that chamber. I hoped Walter had been polite enough not to open my sleeping place.

"So you've cleaned my room?"

"Yes, Sir Integra cares about the state of her... minions. Or employee, if you prefer."

"And have you cleaned my coffin too?"

"In my experience vampires prefer if no one touches their coffin."

"Good. Forgive me if i doubted you knowledge about us. You've been knowing Alucard for quite some time, i guess...?"

"Since i started working for the Hellsing family, in the thirties. I was very young."

"And i guess he wasn't at all. He always looks the same."

"Well... not always." Walter chuckled.

"What do you mean?"

"Let this remain between you and me, right?"

So i learned about Girlycard. Discovering your master, mentor and the eldest vampire in the world had spent years turned into a girl was a bit of a shock.

A lot of a shock, in fact.

"And what about Integra? She has known Alucard since her birth?"

"No. well... you should ask her. Or maybe not. Anyway she wants to see you now. And i have work to do."

Did she want to see me about the photo album? As paranoid as that hypothesis was, i didn't exclude it.

Integra was sitting at her desk, with the usual tons of paper on it.

"You're here, finally. I have decided to keep you here as protection in case Walter and the Geese are not enough."

"What are we defending against, exactly?"

"Millennium. A pack of Nazi vampires whose intentions are unknown. Does that ring any bell?"

"I was in America during WWII, so i am not quite an expert of Nazis."

"Well. Anyway. There is something you must tell me about Alucard. I've been knowing him for ten years, you seem to know him since much before."

"Two hundred and thirty four years. I met hi in Wallachia in his castle, when he was already undead. His sisters turned me into a vampire, and let me go. I don't precisely know why didn't they keep me with theirselves."

"I see. So you don't know him very well..."

"No. i always did my best to stay away from him."

"It's just that he's always so close... he never speaks of himself..."

"All vampires are. It's because mortals are simply so... brief-living. All their emotions are... hasty to us."

"Really?" Integra was sincerely interested.

"Yes... i mean, almost everyone we know is born and dies within our lifetime... all our friends fall before us."

"This reminds me something..."

"Maybe something you have abandoned a lot of time ago? Something you wanted to forget?"

"I... YOU BASTARD!"

"What? Why?"

"You have read _my _personal papers and _violated my _belongings! I should have thought you were going to use that room!"

"Master, i just found it by chance..."

"And you by chance removed the lock?"

She remembered of having locked that book, even after who knows how many years. She really must have held it dear.

"I am sorry, but... i really liked what i found. It is rare a mortal understands so deeply the thoughts of an undead."

She, for an instant, seemed to sweeten her expression. Then returned angry.

"Enough! Flattery won't save you! You had no permission to do what you did!"

"Alucard was like a father to you, right?"

She closed her eyes and bowed her head, repressing anger, or maybe just memories.

"You know nothing about it. Nothing about him and my father."

"Tell me then. What do you gain for hiding me all of this?"

She turned towards me. "Go away. Now. This conversation is over."

"But i..."

"SILENT! Such an act of disrespect towards me deserves to be punished! I will retrieve my book now, and i expect you not to mention it again. For now, there will be no further action... but you'd better learn there are rules at Hellsing. We are not just a pack of bloodthirsty hunters. Dismissed."

I took my leave. If i had known Integra a bit better, i thought afterwards, i'd have never provoked her like this. But i learned her story much after, and i yet knew nothing about her temper.

Thinking after-afterwards, maybe if i had not angered her like this what happened in the following few days would've went differently, and i think the ending that came was the best one, at least for me.

And not only for me.

**Next chapter will be uploaded in September 16th or 17th.**


	3. Conclave of murder

**What happens if you put in a room Integra, Maxwell, the Queen, a cat-boy and a sorcerer?**

Our agents in Rio weren't too well. Their hotel was under siege by humans. I was about to propose Integra to just let Alucard exterminate them, but i had experienced her reaction to unwise proposals when i suggested her to ...ehm... avoid smoking too much.

I was standing before her office talking with a mercenary about the fact that there had not been a decent war in a while, when she called me in.

"I want you to call Alucard and tell him to search and destroy, and let no one block his path. Even if they are innocent humans."

"I can do that, Master, but why don't you call him yourself?"

"Because i know what he will tell me. He'll tell me i finally chose to abandon ethics and to love war. And i fear he is right."

"But why me?"

"I want to apologize for losing control. You did deserve punishment, but i was angry out of my feelings and not for that."

"I see."

I took the phone, she composed the number. One void ring. Two. Did anything happen to them?

"Seras Victoria here, sir Integra."

"It's me, police girl. I need to talk with Alucard. He has not killed anyone yet, right?"

"Not yet." Alucard's voice was scary as usual. "But if you keep me waiting i won't control myself."

"Waiting is over. You can go and kick ass."

"Finally! And tell Integra she has really learned to command!"

"I will..." She grabbed the phone from me.

"Alucard. I have heard. Don't drag me on this path. You know i won't..."

"I know you will, Integra, my Master! This is what you were always supposed to be!"

"Stop it, Alucard!"

"Enjoy the blood i shed in your name! It is time to fight, at last!"

"Alucard! Remember what you told me five years ago? About eternal life?"

"That it's damn boring!"

"Listen! The reason why i answered as i did is because of this your attitude! You will not spill a drop of blood more than necessary!"

Maniacal laughter filled the room just like the No Life King was inside it. Integra hung hastily the phone, the sound of laughs echoed for a few seconds before vanishing.

"I am sorry.." I said, although i didn't feel sorry at all. Alucard's speech had inspired me.

"It's not your fault. It's his own. And he is going yo pay..."

Chaos stroke. I observed excited the massacre of policemen and the destruction of the Dandy Man, every second more i wished to be there. I had not fought for real for centuries... it felt a lust for it.

The day after, the round table with the queen. As i entered, beside Integra, we lured a few suspicious gazes, particularly from a certain archbishop.

Enrico Maxwell looked at me with arrogance. "The little conjurer has joined Hellsing's freakshow, uh?"

"Why don't you just take that little useless thing you call your brain and shove it up..."

Integra elbowed me and i realized it was not precisely the right situation to tell where that little thing was supposed to be. I ran my fingers through my hair and pretended to be utterly quiet.

We took place at the table and awaited for the Hellsing team to show up.

Alucard bursted through the door with his graceful ungrace. Seras seemed rather out of place, and she was. Pip was wearing a shirt so horrible that deserved to end just like Maxwell's brain.

Well, let's skip Alucard's report and his meeting with the queen, till the moment when a cat-boy appeared in the room. At first i thought it was Seras, i mean, they just look the same, apart from ears and tits. So when i realized it was not her i conjured a fireball and kept it ready, just in case. Many guns were pointed toward the feline.

"Don't shoot, i am just the messenger! I don't plan to fight at all!"

My instinct told me he was a cute little huggable thing, and therefore deserved to be incinerated, but i held myself.

"Walter?" asked Integra

"Our security is flawless, there's no sign of anything breeching it."

"There's no need for it. I am everywhere and nowhere."

Seras looked quite puzzled, the feline was staring at her. I heard some doubt about him in her mind.

The catboy turned towards her, with the cutest look on Earth, and said just "Good Afternoon."

It was too much. I released the fireball and blown him.

At least a hundred eyes turned towards me.

"I... have been... a bit impulsive."

"No need to apologize. It was well done." said Integra

"Never trust cats." said Maxwell.

"We'll just clean the blood later." said Walter.

Alucard simply grinned.

At this point we all noticed the little screen on the table. The apparently lifeless hand of the nazi kitten held a remote controller. I took it.

"Now, that should light it up, i hope..."

The television shown a scene from a stupid anime with vampires and werewolves, and a couple of character whose gender was incomprehensible. I switched the channel and we saw a brutal execution. I felt excited. The war was growing better and better.

Well, you all know the Major's speech. My insanity, your god's sanity, and so on. It was simply... good. I thought Millennium was much more interesting than Hellsing... i know, being a vampire is not about using your power to kill and destroy randomly, but this doesn't mean it's not fun!

I realized right then that Alucard was able to red my thoughts. He appeared inside my mind as a shapeless entity, then turned into a black dog, his familiar. I made my best to hide my thoughts but his will was just too strong. He smiled at me, maybe because he had decided to fight me at last.

Yes. I am almost sure he had.

Even more disturbing, i felt his wolf-like probe piercing my soul looking for what i knew of Integra. I opposed all my will to his own. After some time, i don't know if a few seconds or a few centuries, he gave up. I felt him retreating from my mind, not because i had defeated him, of course, but because something else had lured his attention. The cat-boy had vanished. Simply disappeared.

"Basic teleportation. He has bended the structure of space and time. One of the unresolved holes of theory of relativity... or should i say, one of its best applications." this scientific outburst came out of me before i had time to think about it.

"So you can track him?" Asked Maxwell, who had probably suddenly reconsidered my usefulness. Unfortunately, i was going to disappoint him.

"There is no way to locate a nowhere traveller. Theoretically, since his position is merely defined by his own perception of his position, the only way would be from a mind screening. Although, infiltrating in the thoughts of another entity may cause serious troubles..." i looked at Alucard. "... especially if the mind is that of a creature with such a different perception. It could result in permanent insanity of the reader.. and possibly his destruction by self-annihilation."

"Mind to translate?" asked the Archbishop.

"It means we could track him only by reading his mind, but since he knows he is nowhere, anyone who read his mind would be forced to think they're nowhere, therefore they would think they're dead. And die, as a consequence."

"All this in a humanly kitten?" Asked Integra.

"This and more, i'm afraid. I don't know where does his power end... assuming he has not lied, and i think he hasn't, then he is a living paradox, potentially the single, minuscule cancer cell which could infect the whole reality."

"And why does millennium use him just as a messenger, then?" asked Walter.

"I don't know. Mine are just hypotheses. Maybe he is not as powerful as i fear, or maybe they don't know his full potential."

"Then we must do all that we can to prevent them from knowing it." resolutely said Walter. "I will take care of our anti-espionage department immediately."

"As for the people in this room, i am sure no one will ever even consider selling any important intelligence to our common enemies..." stated the queen, turning toward Maxwell. Even though the excessive light above her, anyone sensed the severe gaze she was turning toward him.

"Of course, Your Majesty." he answered, with a faint grin.

And this leads to the great mission. The aircraft-carrier. The first naval unit of the Last Battalion.

And Lieutenant Rip Van Winkle on it.

And Alucard more maniacal than ever.

And a lot of trouble to come.

Integra had decided to take me as advisor just in case some other scientific or esoteric weapon of Millennium showed up, so i was there when the navy commander briefed her about the upcoming catastrophe.

"Magic bullets. What clues do we have?"

"I know something." i answered. "It's from... an opera, i think. A story kinda like Faust. A man makes deal with the Devil who gives him six magic bullets which never miss their target, and one bullet which will take a soul for the demon... the man tricks a guy into using the bullets, and then...hmm... i can't remember, but in the end the last bullet misses and the devil takes the soul of the man he dealt with."

"Impressive culture." said Walter.

"It's just that i like to keep a track of all the people who sell souls and that kind of things. It is useful just in case i have to do something like this by my own."

The commander was looking at us wild-eyed.

"Very well." Integra took back control of the situation. "Let the devil collect this soul, then. Our only issue now is to get you and Alucard on that ship"

"Why me?"

"Because you might have a chance to limit him."

"Why should i? Isn't it better if he just vanquishes everything?"

"I thought we discussed this already. The more we give into chaos and destruction, the more we play our enemies' game."

"Oh. I guess. Why not Seras, then?"

"I have said it's you. You know what happens to those who disobey me, don't you?"

"No. and i don't want to discover. I am preparing for the mission."

"Good. It seems you have learned, at last."

It took a while for them to figure out a plan, but i hoped it was well spent time. Of course, it wasn't, as i discovered when they called me.

"You are finally here. You and Alucard will direct on the ship on a strategic fighter plane, Blackbird. Once you are on it, you will Search And Destroy any enemy activity, secure the aircraft carrier and report. We will find a way to fetch you back."

"Aren't we going to be hit more or less a billion times as we parachute?" i objected.

"Who spoke of parachutes?"

Integra and Alucard looked at me, smiling. I turned paler than i was.

If anyone of you was wondering if vampires sweat, yeah we do. Cold sweat, though. And i was sweating from how much i was terrified as we jumped on the blackbird.

"Scared?" Alucard asked me.

"You know, i am not invulnerable like some people."

"What a shame! I am almost sure you will survive this... damn, i don't want to end you so bluntly! Not without a decent fight!"

"How reassuring..."

"It's Integra who wanted you on here. If it was for me..."

"I know, you work alone."

"Not lately. I have my fledgeling, she is quire a natural fighter. That's why i kept her with me."

"So are you going to battle her too, sooner or later?"

"Sears? No!"

"And i thought i knew you..."

"Sorry to interrupt you" Integra's voice burst out of the plane's radio, making me jump on my seat. "The mission is about to begin. Take place comfortably and make sure you don't miss any item you may need. We will guide the plane remotely, so you won't have to do anything before you land."

"Any change of plans, Master?"

"No, Alucard, it's simple as it is."

Seras took the microphone.

"Hi! Hallo Master! I... just wanted to say good luck to you both! Have a good mission and... try not to get too hurt."

"Good police girl." I said "In case i die out here, and i'm very likely going to, you can take anything mine i left in my room. And tell Integra that if she finds any editor for my manuscripts, she can publish them as if they're her own. This is all of my last will. Go with peace."

"Still you can't help but calling me police girl, right?"

"What do you think, Alucard?"

"I think police girl will do. After all, that's all you'll be until you start drinking blood."

A resigned sigh emerged from the phones, before Integra took the microphone again.

"If this is all the nonsense you can conjure, i'd say we can get started."

"It's not nonsense! You can really take my manuscripts! There are a couple about Iscariot, i'm sure you'll love these!"

"Just. Shut. Up. Are you ready to get started? Do you check?"

"I am ready, although..."

"Just say 'check'!."

"Sigh. Check. Let's do this."

"You have a weird concept of_ 'just_ say'. Anyway, Alucard?"

"Check, my Master!"

She took deep breath, i would've too if only i breathed.

"Starting in three, two, one..."

The engines ignited, the plane slowly lifted off."

"At mission. Good luck."

**Hold your breath, next chapter is the big deal- finally Rip! maybe i should've mede the part until now shorter...**

**Anyway the next episode is written alrwady, i'll upload when i see some reviews... or when i want to. **

**Or tomorrow.**

**Or never. **

**Or who knows?**


	4. The taste of her blood

**Passengers of flight 666 on "Blackbird" please fasten seat belts, chapter 4 is about to begin.**

The blackbird left with a bang. I opened my eyes when we were already breaking the clouds.

"Are we still alive?"

"No. in case you forgot, we are undead."

"Right. Good. Well. How long will it take?"

"Too much. I am restless!"

"I know. Any last minute tip?"

"No. just let me do my job."

"Do you know our enemy?"

"A sniper for the upcoming war. A simple vampire, as far as i know."

"Not that it would trouble you if she was a disguised Godzilla."

"No. although i'd be more interested. I have already taken care of her once, and she wasn't much of a fight."

"If you have already killed her, why is she still standing?"

"I never said 'killed'. I wasn't much in condition to inflict real harm back then."

"Like more a little cute girl instead of a big spooky vampire?"

"What?"

"You know what. You must've been quit a show, shape shifted into a cute child..."

"WHO TOLD YOU THAT?! WHO?!"

"No one, a little bird said it..."

"AAAARGH! WALTER! YOU'LL PAY!"

I confided he wasn't able to fight me on the plane and once we landed- i mean crushed- he could've discharged his anger on the Millennium soldiers.

The plane reached the height of attack. The radio crackled again, Integra's voice confused by statics.

"You are about to (crack) the ship. Pre(crack) for the worse. You will now receive the (crack) frequencies. You might (crack) useful."

The ship must have had a radio jammer.

Another rain of statics, then classic music invaded our communication system. It was an aria from some german opera, i didn't understand a word. The voice was very beautiful though.

"What is it?" asked an unknown voice in the radio.

"Die Freischütz, by Carl Maria Von Weber." answered another voice.

The plane slowly turned its prow down. I cold sweated and felt myself trying to escape my body. Calm before the storm. I'd have needed to turn into my animal form to escape the explosion, and i had not done so for a few centuries. Was i ready?

Wise man says, if you're ready, you will live to be proud of it, if you're not, you won't have much time to be ashamed anyway.

I don't think the speed which we started our descent with can be expressed by word. It's just like when you dive from a very high springboard, and you realise how many meters are there between you and the water. Only we were going to hit the only non-water spot around there.

The music grew in intensity as we draw near. A magic bullet hit the plane once, twice, three times, enough to shatter half of the windscreen. It was sufficient for me to jump out. One more second. The plane was about to crash, Alucard looked crazier than ever.

I jumped. I felt the wind, the fire of the engines, the smell of sea mixed with that of fire.

"Please." i said to myself.

I felt all my atoms colliding, every single molecule merging with the others in the primordial substance. My body lost shape, i felt the immense freedom of being everything in that split second in which my essence hadn't yet returned a defined entity.

Them two membranous wings emerged from what was becoming my back, i felt four more limbs coming out from my body and scales covering my skin, my head emerged, horned and three-eyed, the head of a dragon.

I was transformed.

After a huge sigh of relief, imaginated of course, since i wasn't able to breath, i saw the soldiers in the control tower just ahead of me. I moved my wings, felt air rushing around me, the windows drawing near. I let out a scream of freedom, before crushing the reinforced pane and enter breathing fire in the room.

The soldiers stood no chance. I disposed of them and devoured the little of them i had not incinerated. I vomited a generous amount of flames on the instruments before returning human-like and watching how Alucard was doing. He was taking heavy gunfire but he stood, as always, triumphant already before the battle had begun.

I jumped down, summoning my wings to glide slowly in direction of Rip Van Winkle, who was crying and reloading her gun hidden behind a corner.

Her expression switched from desperate from resolute. In that precise instant, i realized she was beautiful just like her voice. Did she deserve to die like this?

I also realized her bullet was going to hit me if i didn't react, so i summoned one of my most powerful spells. I didn't really think about it, i was like frenzy, like _berserk. _I had turned into a dragon, breathed fire, returned humanoid, flown, i felt magic all around and inside me, like a second heart pulsing through me and pushing me to do more. I called a storm on the ship. Lightings rained all over it, burning all that survived the blackbird's crash. One hit precisely the lieutenant, a second too late. The bullet had started already. It hit me in the stomach and flight to Alucard. Who let himself be taken a few times, them he realized it was enough and took the projectile in his hand. Then he nodded me, pretending to throw it.

I grabbed the musket from Rip and held it like a baseball bat, hoping to remember the basics of the game. I had not played baseball since fifty years before at best.

I opened my eyes and focused on the ball. He charged the pitch.

Go.

I hit the bullet, more by luck than by skill. It disappeared among the clouds and left to outer space.

"HOME RUN! IT'S AN HOME RUN! THE CROWD GOES WILD!"

Alucard stared to laugh maniacally and i, for the first and last time, laughed with him.

Then an umbrella hit my nape.

Lieutenant Rip Van Winkle, in a last desperate attempt, took back the musket, but an hand appeared from nowhere and stopped her. Alucard expanded his figure until he concealed me and Rip.

"Good job, trickster. Now leave her to me."

"Why? I have done everything. I think i deserve her!"

"You have much to learn. Step aside."

"Who has killed the officers? Who has caused the lightings? Who has bunt the control room?"

"You bunt the control room? How are we supposed to guide this ship now?"

"Don't change subject! I did it all! I defeated the enemies an all you've done is catching that bullet! And it's me who threw it into hyperspace. So she is mine."

"Go on and take her. What do you think you'll gain..."

"Why shouldn't i take her? Why?"

"Because... bah. You're lucky Integra won't allow me to kill you.. yet."

"You can't stand that she trusts my counsel just as much as yours, can you?"

"You are playing with greater things than you. Beware, my patience has limits."

I stopped talking and bowed on Rip, still held by the No-Life King's telekinetic hands.

She was beyond terror, trying to escape from the grip by pure instinct of survival, with no hope at all.

So exciting.

I licked her neck first, tasting the ashes and the dust, and the subtitle taste of the burnt gunpowder on her skin. My teeth ran on her cold flesh, barely scratching it, looking for the jugular. When i penetrated her throat and started sucking her sweet essence, the sensual surge of drinking a vampire's blood overtook me.

Bleeding a vampire is not the same as a mortal, it's much better even than drinking from a virgin. You feel at the same time all the mixed tastes of those the undead has fed upon, an harmony of different bloods, women, men, children, everything, all together. Any mortal has his peculiar taste, like the sound o an instrument, and this is what you taste as you bleed him. Vampires have no note of their own, their blood is long since gone, but you taste the whole orchestra of all their victims.

And this is what i felt in her, as some of the blood poured out my mouth and my fingers, turned into claws, pierced her back in a fiendish embrace. I felt her slowly fading away, disappearing.

And i felt mercy. Why to kill her? She was defeated already. She was so harmless now. So pathetic. Like me when i met Alucard, and i was sure he was about to kill me.

He had spared me.

I'd have spared her.

I, reluctantly, pulled back and few drops of red vitae dripped from my lips back to her neck.

"Why aren't you finishing her?" Alucard asked, looking disgusted. "Are you going to waste her blood? Or do you think you an save her? Millennium will never allow us to take prisoners. They will kill her."

"Aren't you supposed to be burning, Rip Van?"

Alucard and i turned around. The cat-boy had appeared behind us.

"You! The Millennium feline physic paradox!"

"You! The Hellsing arsonist vampire! No, seriously, she should be burning you know."

"She isn't, unless my hallucinations have grown worse than usual."

"No, she isn't." confirmed the cat-boy, making me feel very comforted. Alucard was laughing a little less crazily than usual.

"Wait" i said "Maybe i got it. Are the freak chips lighting-proof?"

"Gimme a second, i check." Schrödinger vanished and reappeared a few seconds later.

"Doc says they're not tested, but he can experiment it and give you an answer soon."

"Very kind, but there's no need to. I have just demonstrated they can be destroyed with mild lighting, preserving the vampire's life. Go tell him."

He returned after a short while.

"He says you are a really expert science man, and he'd be GLaD to work with you, also because you have so well described my powers at the round table."

"WHAT!? How can he know of this!? Maxwell, it must be him... well, report the Doctor i will collaborate with him maybe later, now i have other matters to attend to."

"Like explaining me what are you going to do with the Lieutenant." said Alucard.

"Well she is our prisoner. Our hostage. We will bring her home and interrogate her."

"Integra said search and_ destroy, _and you know it."

"This is my personal modification to the plan. We are keeping her."

"Bah. Call Integra and let's hear what does_ she_ think about it."

Luckily i had a cell phone, otherwise we'd have been insulated, since i had vanquished the ship's radio.

"Hello? Are there trouble on the ship?" she said as she answered.

"Not precisely. You see, i managed to take a prisoner avoiding millennium to burn her up."

"WHAT? I said DESTROY!"

"Yeah, but having an insight in Millennium plans can be useful."

"Ok. I am perfectly calm. Let me just explain you. THEY HAVE NO FUCKING PLANS AT ALL! They have no schemes and no purpose! They just keep on killing everything!"

"And are you ordering me to do so too?"

"You... you cursed bastard! Using my own phrases against me!"

"So what do you say?"

"I want to speak with Alucard."

I gave the phone to him.

They spoke for a little, then he closed the communication.

"What did she say?"

"Let me explain you."

The fist come unexpected, and i was blown out of balance. I fell on the cold steel floor of the ship, bleeding from my cheek.

"Why?!"

"Integra had told me not to harm her, for now. Unfortunately.. she didn't mention harming you!"

His guns were pointed towards me, kilos of blessed silver waiting inside both their magazines, eager to come out.

And it's right then that i started hating Alucard. Before, he had always been my master, my guide, my inspiration. Sure, i feared him, sure, i considered him cruel... but then, he was going to kill me because he wanted to. Because he could. Because of no good reason. Because of Integra...

I realized i spoke the last reason aloud. His eyes shone with anger and rage.

The bullets started a slow-motion travel towards me. I felt my power decuplictad by the recently drank blood.

I hit the ground before the silver projectiles were halfway between me he and me. A broad, transparent red line appeared on the floor and rose from it like a shield.

The bullets hit it and were deviated, as time returned into its usual pace.

"What!" yelled Alucard.

"Dark Continent Sorcery! Liked it?"

More red lines built a cage around me and Rip, still unconscious, protecting every side yet allowing to see through. They created a sphere like structure, constantly rotating concentrically. I felt protected enough to dare taunting him.

"You're jealous because our Master listens to my counsel. It must be sad living so long and being considered less than your weak descendant!"

"You shall pay! No one can take her from me!" A rain of silver invested the shield, which stood.

"Come on! The feared No-Life King jealous of his master for such a pointless little thing!"

"SHUT UP!"

"Sooooo sorry, i meant the No-Life-Cute-Girl-In-A-Furry Hat!"

At these words, Rip sprang up, took her musket and stared jumping around screaming" WHERE?! Where is she!? The girl! The Enemy! She's here!!"

I and Alucard stopped for an instant.

"Are you sure you're all right?" i asked.


	5. War and Peace

**A kind suggestion to the people who added this story to their alert subscription: would it kill you to waste thirty seconds of your life to write a review?**

"Are you suer you're alright?"

Rip stared me crazed.

"She is him! The enemy! The devil! Zamiel! He is this all!"

"And he is also Alucard, Dracula, The Undead, Vladimir the Impaler, the Bird of Hermes and a lot of other scary but fitting names."

Another rain of bullets bounced over the shield.

"You have angered him! What were you thinking?" she screamed.

"Listen, we are safe here. Just shut up and stay still."

She hid behind me, shivering.

"You know, i am supposed to be your enemy." i said.

"You're my enemy's enemy. You should be my friend, or not?"

"It's a long story. Anyway, you are now my prisoner, so stay there and let me concentrate."

"Prisoner? Do you think you can hold the Huntress captive?"

She grabbed her musket with amazing speed and aimed it at me. She turned from scared to scary with amazing speed. Her teeth and glasses shone in the moonlight.

"You can threaten as much as you want, but that rifle is unloaded."

She looked down into the barrel, for an instant i expected her to blow her head off like in a stupid cartoon. The musket resulted to be actually unloaded. She fell sitting.

"You seem prisoner too." she said. "Is this cage conjured by Him?"

"First, this in not a cage. This is a protection to avoid him to come inside. Second, i am prisoner because He wants to kill me while he is supposed to be my ally. Third, unless you can find a way to take the cell phone which is in his pocket neither of us is going out from here."

"So we're trapped?"

"Not precisely. If logic is not a complete lie, Integra is going to find a way to fetch us back soon and she will call him on the phone. So probably she will tell him to let us go, or at least i hope."

" Your master is doomed. Millennium forces are going to destroy her while the Demon is away."

"What?! They are attacking our manor? We must warn them! I hope he will listen! Alucard!"

As only answer the hellhound attacked the shield, obtaining nothing. Another scream of rage.

"Alucard listen! The manor is in danger! They are attacking! We must call Integra!"

"Very stupid as trick. I was expecting more of an excuse from you."

"It's no trick! She has told me! A millennium task force is..."

I had no tine to finish the phrase. A silver bullet flew through a small empty point in my shield, before the energy lines reconfigured to stop it. I was hit in the hand, a hole precisely in the centre of my palm.

It felt like burning. Like fire, more than fire. I had already been hit more than once by blessed weapons, but it's a thing you just can't get used to.

Other bullets hit the protection, another crossed it. I'd have stood a chance as long as my shield was unbreakable, but it was pointless to just try to wait under gunfire.

I turned into the dragon and let the protection down.

Another salvo flew all around me, piercing and ripping my wings. I dodged as many bullets as i could, and flown to him. I breathed a flame on his face and rose high in the sky. As i expected, Alucard ignored Rip. I hoped she would do the right thing.

I described a circle above the ship's deck, trying to avoid being hit, but i was already severely bleeding. Why the hell didn't i tell Rip what to do?

Finally, a magic bullet hit him, distracting him for a second. I blinked to clear the blood off my three eyes as i nosedived on Alucard's arm. Time slowed down, i percepted every motion around me, the harmonic fly of Rip's bullet, the slowed speed of Alucard's ones, the recoiling guns, the hand of the vampire lately trying to escape me...

I bit. He turned around again to throw me away, but i fell down with his hand in my mouth. And the gun in that hand. The Jackal, black steel with grey silver inside. He snorted at me and rose the Casull, not even aiming, but i was quicker. His right arm fell, severed from the body, cutting his last chance of stopping me. I shoot him again in the head and in the chest, then i heard the gun clicking, empty. Anyway, Alucard was down, melting into blood. I returned into my human form.

For an instant, i really feared i had killed him. Absurd as it was, it was simply a terrifying thought. He might have been my enemy, but killing Alucard was more than murder... it was deicide. I just couldn't stand living with the thought he was dead... if he could fall, then what about me?

I searched his remains, the phone was like an island into a red sea. It seemed he wasn't able to do on it the same thing he did on his clothes. It wasn't surprising, vampires and technology don't go along very well.

I tried to dial Integra's number, but someone appeared behind me and tapped my shoulder.

Someone with cat ears.

"What is it now? I am trying to save my life and that of your lieutenant."

"Oh. Our cameras have shown some strange stuff."

"Good. Now, unless you can teleport me out of here, you should let me call my master."

"Why?"

"Because she is the only one who can stop Alucard's destructive instincts. And i should better call her before he returns whole."

"You aren't going to tell her there is a Millennium raid scheduled against her, are you?"

I ostentated my most impudent expression. "No, why should i?"

"Oh well. Go on and call her then."

I dialled the number again, but he tapped my shoulder again making me go wrong. If there's anything worse than being trapped on a ship with an angry Alucard, wounded and bleeding and trying to see the phone through all the blood which is in your eyes, it's doing so with an annoying physical anomaly who bothers you.

"What the hell! How can i make the call if you keep disturbing me!?"

"Do you promise you won't tell her?"

"I promise. Now, if you don't mind..."

I dialled it again, as quick as i could.

"You had crossed your fingers!"

I nearly crunched the phone.

"Why can't you go playing with a tachionic ball of wool and let me be?"

"Don't try to cheat. You can't tell her about the raid."

"I. Am. Not. Cheating. Now, can i go on?!"

Schrö meowed in approval.

I pretended to dial the number, just to see if me interrupted me.

"You didn't push the buttons for real! I saw you!"

"Rip, would you please take this guy by his nape and cast him into the ocean?"

"She would never do that, true Rippy?"

"Can i shoot him instead?" she asked, grinning.

"Go right on."

The bullet hit him enough times to buy me thirty seconds to finally call Integra.

"Hellsing Manor. What is it again?"

"Alucardhasgonecrazyhetriedtokillmeheisabastardwearetrappedcomeheretofetchusback..."

"Stop! Speak slowly! What the Hell is this?"

"Alucard has gone crazy! He shot me!"

"Damn. I knew i should've been more specific in forbidding him. Now, why are you still alive?"

"I shot him, he is currently reduced to raw blood. Come take us back please!"

"You killed Alucard?!"

"No, i just shot him with his gun, i can't kill him... i mean, no one can!"

"Well. Tell him he won't hurt you until i have sorted out your problem."

"Heard that?" i screamed to the blood pool. Alucard's hand took shape and emerged with its middle finger risen.

"Now, if there isn't anything else..." Integra said.

"Wait! Millennium is..."

A hand covered my mouth. Rip's hand. I was too weak and hurt to oppose resistance, not that i really tried to.

"Wh't th' f'k??"

"We are sorry, the user is no longer on line." she said in the phone, then she closed the communication and threw the cell in her musket.

"Oh no, you won't!"

"Oh ja, i will!"

She shot. A shapeless mass of circuits and plastic which barely resembled the cell phone burst out the barrel aimed for the sky.

"Why?"

"You didn't really think i was going to let you tell her that?"

"Oh. YOU BASTARD!"

"You can't harm me, i am you hostage, remember?"

"Actually she ordered Alucard not to harm you, she didn't say _i_ mustn't."

She gazed at me, one eye imploring, the other needling.

"For now, i guess it's pointless to try anything." i said. "We just wait."

We sat against the control tower, as far as we could from Alucard's pool. I wondered if he really took all that time to regenerate or he was just waiting me to lower my guard... but after all he was hit in his hearth and head by silver blessed bullets, it was pretty much even for him.

"We should say the Major to take us back, i mean, since your Master is not going to be able to do so."

"Your man can do nothing against Hellsing. Seras and the mercenaries are going to kick their asses."

" Don't be under the illusion they can beat Zorin. You'll see."

"I'm looking forward to it." i took the body of one of the fallen soldiers and incised his burnt neck with a claw to spill the blood. I needed a fix after all the power i consumed and the hurts i had taken.

"After all," she said, thoughtful, "Since Zamiel is half destroyed and your manor under attack, and since we are on neutral ground, you are more my prisoner than i am yours."

"We are both prisoners on this ship, so i don't see why disputing about it now."

We remained in silence for a while.

"Anyway your master is not going to escape, you know."

"Shut up and drink something. It is surprising you have so much energy after i almost drained you."

She took the body.

"You know, we might need someone like you in Millennium. You like to fight, you can obey orders but only when you want to, you are really powerful..."

"And i like destroying things."

"Yeah. I bet they would all like you in the battalion."

"I'm afraid my political beliefs are diametrically opposite to Nazism."

"Well it's not all about that. I mean, we still have the old symbol, but, after all races don't matter. Destruction is quite equal."

"Really?"

"Yeah, why did you think we took Jan valentine and the Dandy in, otherwise?"

"I thought it was because they were sent into suicidal missions, but seeing they sent you too without problems, i think they just don't care much about their agents."

"Mine wasn't a suicidal mission!"

"Fighting against Alucard without Integra to save you is always suicide, believe me."

She looked quite puzzled.

"So will you consider the offer?" she asked.

"Maybe. Not now. For the moment, can you do a little thing for me?"

"What?"

"That swastika medallion..."

"I'm not taking it off."

"I wasn't asking that. Just flip it."

"What do you mean?"

"Here, let me show you..."

I took the medallion off her and turned it around, so that now the cross' hooks went in anti-clockwise. The simple contact of putting it on her again was something i hadn't felt in centuries... Physical contact with mortal isn't the same as with other vampires... they are just preys, inferiors. A vampire is your kindred and your equal.

"What would that mean, now that it's reverse?"

"Actually, this is the right verse. It is an ancient symbol which represents the cycle of life and death. I believe it's from Hindu symbolism, but i'm not sure."

"So it means the utter negation of undeath, right?"

"Ehm. I had never considered this... but it might be... well, actually yes, it's precisely the opposite of living dead."

"So it doesn't make any sense."

"It's not like starting the greatest war the world has ever seen for no purpose makes much more sense than this."

She opened her mouth to say something, but stopped before starting.

"So one point for me?" i said.

"No."

She didn't turn back the swastika, anyway.


	6. Sweet Dreams aren't made of this

**Rip has no accent in zis story, i know. But she speaks too much in here to vrite all her lines vith svitched letters. Only the Major and Dok vill speak zis vay. **

Alucard definitely was waiting for me to do something. He just couldn't take so long to regenerate. But what was he waiting for? False step from me? I had no weapon, his guns where closer to him than to me and he just needed to take human shape to return invincible. So what the hell was he waiting for? I stared at his pool from the place where i was sitting.

Rip, sitting beside me, yawned. She seamed quite sleepy, but after all, she had been awake for two days more or less. It's a long amount even for a Midian. Speaking of which, how long ago did i leave my coffin? Too long. I felt the strong temptation of close my eyes and let myself down, but there was something more important to do. I just needed to wait for she to fall asleep.

Possibly remaining awake.

It is true that vampire's sleep is so light that it's enough for a mortal to gaze at us to awaken, but it's also true that a vampire can't just decide when to wake up. If i didn't remain conscious, probably i wouldn't have woken before it was too late.

I waited, trying all the mantra i knew to keep me focused. Meanwhile, Rip was slowly falling into sleep, with a smile. Sweet dreams. If only that didn't make me even more sleepy...

She muttered, then rested her head on my shoulder. She seemed weightless. I heard her soft heartbeat... for an instant i thought i was hearing her breathing. No, that was impossible...

_Now, how the hell am i supposed to go away? _I thought. Meanwhile my mind formulated a few other thoughts, like

_So sweet..._

or

_Maybe i'm dreaming already._

After i don't know how long, too much anyway, i found enough will power to rise up. I carefully removed her glasses and lifted her head in my hands, softly leaning it in the ground. She seemed to advert nothing. I caressed her hair and looked at her to make sure she was all right, then i ran as silently as i could on the lower deck.

My idea was, it's impossible such a ship doesn't have a emergency radio somewhere. They just couldn't allow to any dragon who burnt the control room to take out all the contacts of the aircraft carrier with the world. Ok, maybe they weren't attacked by dragons every day, but they surely were prepared. So theoretically there had to be a second radio implant somewhere. I just had to find it.

_Now, if i had to build an aircraft carrier, what would i fear as main danger?_

_Other warships, bombings, sabotage._

_The last is the one. Sure, there are bigger ships than this one, but the last thing they'd do is to cut its radios. Planes can be stroked by the ant-air artillery. The most dangerous thing is a spy on the ship. _

_So, if i needed to place something hidden to a spy, where would i hide it?_

_Far from the other station. In a area which doesn't risk to be flooded. Behind a reinforced door. _

I searched the intermediate decks for a while, before finding what i was looking for. A dead sailor was sitting there, he had been turned into a ghouland then decapitated. Millennium's work, to be sure. I threw the corpse away and looked for a log with the codes. It took half an hour o work out how to communicate on Hellsing's channels.

"If anyone is hearing me, i call from the "Adler" warship and i need to warn the Hellsing Organization that a raid from Millennium. We must return to England before disaster strikes!!"

The line remained clear for a while, only statics cold be heard. Then a familiar voice answered.

"Captain Bernadotte here, repeat the message."

"London is going to be attacked by surprise, while i and Alucard are away!"

The reception was terribly disturbed, i hoped they heard it. Unfortunately, last time i operated a radio was during World War II so wasn't precisely an expert.

"Integra Hellsing here. Walter says the frequency you should use is 1123.54 and the code for Hellsing preferential channel is 133.

I inserted the data in the device and the communication cleared.

"Good. Now, why did you end the call so abruptly?"

"I've had an... accident. Unfortunately, you see, the phone was..."

"You broke my cell phone?! Have you got the slightest idea of how much did it cost?!"

"No. anyway, as i've said..."

"I've heard. We will strengthen defences on the city. Nothing and no one can defeat the Hellsing organization."

"Speaking of which, when are you going to take us back?"

"Never. You'll find a way back on your own. We can't waste our men to save you."

"Please..."

"Never. Go and secure the ship. Dismissed."

"Good. We are fucked."

As i turned around, i saw a dark figure taking shape. Alucard.

"The thought that i might have had something to say didn't even cross your mind, did it?"

"You've been playing the scary blood pool all night, if you had anything to say you could've appeared before. Anyway, the radio is still on. Just call them again."

"I will. And i've got a tip for you..."

"Yeah?"

"Don't mess with things greater than you. Return to your nice vampire girl, and don't ever call Integra in my absence."

"Aren't you a bit protective about her? I mean, she just let yourself be shot without a word. I nearly thought she'd have ordered you to kill me."

"Shut that mouth up before something unpleasant slithers out of it. You don't know her half than i do."

"The more i learn about you two, the more i think it's a good thing."

He grinned evilly.

"And she's not my girl." i said, exiting.

I didn't trust Alucard advice, so i did precisely what he said- returned up to Rip. If she saw me in the lower decks she'd have probably guessed i had communicated with the organization, and the later she discovered that, the better.

Or at least i told myself it was because of this.

She was still asleep. I calculated that if we left England with the plane at midnight, we had a hour or two of dark before sunrise. Enough to take a nap, than i'd have found myself a place to rest inside... maybe the millennium soldiers had coffins on the ship...

I considered looking for a place inside right now, but i wanted to keep an eye on Rip. On the other hand, her presence made me uncomfortable. I mean, she was just there, sleeping on the hard deck on the aircraft carrier, her eyes closed, her mouth still smiling, her hair uncombed yet ordered... i mean, she was the extreme perfection of sweetness and calm. By looking at her, you could've said she was merely a tired girl... but i knew goddamn well she was the same vampire who i saved from Alucard and who fought with me against him, the same who shot me, twice...

I felt kinda uneasy. There was more to her than i could've guessed at first glance... but after all, i am still the champion of unexpectedness, and Alexander Anderson could confirm this...

But let this be a story for some other time. For now, i was there, close to Rip, trying to sleep, and succeeding for once. I just shut down my mind and let myself go. Sweet dreams to myself.

They weren't sweet dreams at all. Integra ordered me to kill Alucard. I tried to shoot him, but i was unable to even scratch him, and he kept laughing to me.

"I have an advice for you" he said.

"Yeah?"

"Don't try things that are beyond you. What hopes do you think you have with her?"

"She's not my girl!"

He started laughing again. Then everything is a blur, i remember only something about Integra judging me about her book and condemning me to be eternally trapped in a cage of red lines... then i felt the hateful sensation of sun on my skin. I opened my eyes.

One good thing in England is the weather. Having spent the last few months in Italy, the rainy climate of Great Britain was a total improvement. Even now that the sky was clear, sunshine was almost supportable. Light was anyway nearly blinding, it took a few seconds to slid the world into focus.

Rip was standing just before me, shielding with her parasol. She had taken off her jacket and, to my great pleasure, the swastika. Flipped or not, it made me feel uneasy if she wore it.

At first, she didn't notice me, she was busy thinking to something and staring at the sky. Then she turned to me and blushed.

"Ah... you're awake... i wanted to tell you... well... thanks. I mean, for yesterday. For having saved me."

"You... don't need to. I saved your life, you saved mine. We did it... together."

When you are speaking and words come out with big spaces between because you're embarrassed is terribly fastidious, but when the person you're speaking with is doing the same it's just too much. The best thing is to pull yourself together and change subject, but you never do the right thing in these occasions.

"So... i was waiting for you to wake... we need to find a radio."

"Why? What do you... who do you want to call?"

"Millennium! So they can take us... back! I mean, not back, just out of here..."

"But aren't they busy... invading the world?"

"They can send a chopper, or a... i don't know, something."

I looked around to see if Alucard was within sight. If we found him on the radio a mess was inevitable. And if we found him on the radio _flirting with Integra, _we'd have faced the end of the world.

"I don't know if it's a good idea... i mean... maybe we should... i don't know."

"What? Is there something... amiss?"

My mind was utterly empty of ideas, and full on thoughts like:

_I'd have expected she to shoot at me_

_Se seems different from yesterday_

_Well, me too_

_Now, if i just said anything clever..._

_Like what?_

_Like..._

_Like..._

_Like..._

"Have you two decided to spend your life on here?" it wasn't me who said this. It was Schrö.

"What are you doing here? I though they needed you!" Rip said.

"Ah, they sent me here, the attack is delayed."

"Why?"

"They say someone has warned Hellsing and thy sent someone to take Alucard back, so we wait to see if it's true."

I was about to wear my best poker-player expression, but then a thought crossed my mind.

"Did they say just Alucard? What about me?"

"I dunno, i think they'll take you too."

"Yeah, but i mean, not even mentioning me? Am i just the mascot or what?"

"There's nothing wrong in being the mascot." said the cat-boy, offended. I decided to change subject.

"What are you supposed to do here?"

_(apart from saving me from embarrassment)_

"Oh, to check if it was you who sent them a message."

"No he hasn't." Rip answered, saving me once again " When you left..."

"When you shot me."

"Ja, well, when you left, we called the Hellsing boss and i didn't allow him to warn her. It's all right."

"Maybe he has called later?"

"Nah, after we just talked a bit and..." she blushed. I felt my cheeks warming too.

"...slept there..." i said

"...Together." she concluded. Schrö looked at us leaning his head on the left, like when cats want you to do something.

"So... you sure?" he asked.

"Yeah. Sure."

"Oh well. No problem."

Rip took him by the ear. "Are you going to save us or what?"

"No! Why?"

"Because we're stuck on this damn ship and Hellsingers are coming!"

"'Hellsingers'?"

"Well i mean Hellsing agents, how do you call yourselves?"

"I... hem... Hellsing Agents, i guess."

"Oh. That's a bit... banal. I mean, it's good... but... maybe Hellsingers is better?"

"I'll propose that to Integra. And anyway, it's not that you of Millennium have a name for the agents, do you?"

"Werwolves!" said Schrö and Rip in unison.

"Ok, stupid question, now about rescuing us..."

"I can't" said the cat boy "But i can tell the Major you want to be rescued."

"Couldn't he have guessed it on his own?" i said.

"Well i-" Schrödinger's chest exploded in a flower of blood. His head followed the same fate. Alucard was holding his gun and laughing as he destroyed every remaining piece of the Millennium messenger.

"Every time it's more fun to shoot him!" he yelled.

"And if he was telling us something interesting?"

"He'll regenerate and come back. And i'll shoot him again. And again. And again. And..."

"Okay, i get it. He said someone is being sent to take us back!"

"Really? Is that what he was telling you?"

"THERE'S A PLANE!" Rip half screamed and half singed.

And she half aimed the musket. I and Alucard jumped together on her and disarmed her.

"What? Why? It's not coming for us..."

It was. And it wasn't a plane. It was a jet. It got on the vertical of the aircraft carrier and descended slowly and vertically. It had no signs and obscured glasses.

The door opened. It was one of those moments when you regret being a vampire because you can't hold you breath.


	7. Unholy Saints

We were silently looking at the plane doors. The jet was very small with no weaponry, at least apparently; it was, though, a very technologically advanced aircraft, a prototype very likely. It bore no symbols or flags at all.

"You go and check inside." said Alucard to me.

"Why me?"

"Because i'm your Master. Simple, isn't it?"

Would've been with us any person except Rip, i'd have said 'and why not her?' but luckily and unfortunately she was the only other on the ship and she seemed quite scared, too, so i approached our potential doom or salvation on the jet.

I walked the metallic walkway and looked at the inside of the plane: it looked empty. I knocked on the wall.

"Is there anyone there?"

From i don't know where something jumped on me. I felt a sensation like a headache, just multiplied a billion times. I realized something had been stuck between my eyes, where i couldn't see it well. I focused, a second too late. The katana was being already extracted from my head and with a single, incredibly rapid motion my adversary jumped over me and stabbed my back.

I fell on my knees and rolled down the plane's walkway.

Alucard was already shooting at our opponent, who dodged all the blows with preternatural speed. As i got to see more clearly, i understood who was that.

A berserker nun.

The one berserker nun.

"It's the Vatican!!"  
I stood up, only to be taken down again by the fire of two guns. I rolled and hit with telekinesis the hands of Heinkel. I had done this to her lots of times every time we met, and i mean quite a lot of times, but she always let herself cheated this way: the handguns fell and she lost balance.

Alucard was taking a lot of damage. Well, actually he couldn't take any damage at all, but he did take a lot of hits. Yumie was so quick that she even dodged Rip's magic bullet, before it took another course and flew inside the plane, followed by notes of opera. The horrible sound of a bullet cut to halves was heard, and Rip silenced suddenly. We all stopped while the two halves of the musket ball rolled out of the plane's door.

A few footsteps were heard.

Then from the door burst out an amount of bayonets much bigger than the plane could've lifted.

Alucard shoot Yumie, clear proof of the fact that he was letting himself be slashed for pure fun, and ran to the jet. I jumped on Heinkel and threw her over the banisters. She grabbed it and jumped over, taking one of her guns from the floor. I was about to transform , when a bayonet from Anderson nearly cut my head off. For the thousandth time in the day, i kissed the ship's deck.

As i rose up, i saw Anderson taking more than a few hits from Alucard, and Yumie who stood, while the silver bullet was ejected from her body. So now they all were regenerators. She attacked Rip, while avoiding the second magic shot.

I jumped on her back, violating her throat. She turned the sword around and stabbed my back, piercing her own with it, like a contrary Hara-Kiri. She was transfixing herself to hurt me: her fanaticism was a even more powerful weapon than the Regeneration Device.

I didn't give up. I tried once again to turn to the dragon shape, but Anderson was watching me. I barely had time to see multiple bayonets approaching, and a second after i was stuck on the wall, crucified by three blessed blades.

Papers of interdiction were nailed all around me. Pain pervaded my whole body, a pool of blood was growing under my feet. On the whole deck there was probably enough of it to feed all the world's population of mosquitoes and leeches, but it was out of range for me. I could only watch the scene.

Heinkel and Yumie attacked Alucard contemporaneously, while Anderson, disengaged, provided Rip my same treatment. She was blocked on the floor, meters away from me.

The No-Life-King stood alone.

He shot around with both his guns, the slides frenetically running forward and backward. The Jackal depleted its magazine firs, the Casull a few seconds later. To reload, he jumped so high to be unhittable, and then landed, after loading both weapons, precisely on the psychotic nun, knocking her off.

One out. They were in advantage for one.

Alucard fired at Heinkel, behind him, unloading again the whole Jackal magazine. She fell in an explosion of red splashes.

Two all.

The last ones standing studied each other for a few seconds, walking in circles.

"So this is it, Anderson? The last duel?"

"Fer ya this is it fer sure, hellspawn."

"So let us begin! This is definitely going to be fun!"

"Nay." Anderson bowed hid head. "I hav' ordars."

"What? You won't fight?!"

The priest rose his head, with a grin which ran from ear to ear.

I didn't understand much of what happened after. I saw an impossible amount of bayonets bursting out of Anderson's hands and an equally impossible amount of bullets crushing them. The explosions and the frenetic moves of them both puzzled my sight, together with all the wounds in my head. Sooner or later, Alucard must've lowered his guard, because he was taken by surprise. Barrier-papers covered and tied him, while blades pierced his limbs.

Three to two. Iscariot wins.

I got wrapped in blessed papers and fell unconscious.

I woke up much later, on a jet in motion, aching and numb.

I tried to move my limbs. They answered, more or less, but i didn't seem to be able to stand up.

"Don't move, don't move, wait, let me have a look at you." an over-solicitous voice woke up my ears, reminding me of all the pain in my head. My eyes were barely focused, but i realized there was Rip opposite me, we were both leaned against the plane's walls. It wasn't her who spoke though. When i focused on a closer distance, i saw the nun who was bandaging my arm. Most of my wounds had been treated already. And i also understood what prevented me from standing: a magic barrier just above my head was sparkling with energy.

The nun kinda looked like Yumie. I figured the killer priestess kindly healing someone. No. Definitely this one couldn't be her. Maybe she had a twin sister, or something like that.

_Now. Situation. I am on a plane, locked by magical barriers, with a lot of Iscariots and i have no clue about where's Alucard._

_Nor about where are they're bringing us._

The plane shook like if it met the worse of turbulences. The magic field kept me like safety belt.

"It seems our special passenger is a bit nervous..." said Heinkel, as she entered my visual field.

"You are treating him well?" asked the nun "We shouldn't hurt him or..."

"Yumiko, he's the most powerful vampire on earth. Satan's personification. Would you at least try to feel some loath towards him?"

"No creature is so loathsome not to deserve kindness..."

" Instead of worrying about him,why don't you have a look at my arm? I think it's not regenerating."

The two went in a nearby room. I tried to rise, again uselessly.

"Rip! Can you move?"

"No... these... things... they block me! What are they?"

"Some sacred magic. I hoped you Millennium vampires were immune by them..."

"I am not an artificial vampire. He turned me into one."

"You mean..."

"Him!"

"Ok, i get it. Have you seen Him on the plane?"

"They... kinda mummified him, then brought him in a hold. He hasn't stopped screaming and shaking for hours..."

"Hours?! How long have i been asleep?!"

"I don't know, i slept too... i heard them say we've been travelling for four hours, but it was some time ago... i don't know how much."

"Oh gods... four hours... this can mean one thing alone..."

"They're bringing us to..."

"...to the Vatican."

The plane landed not much after in a small airport in Rome, under a heavy rain. The situation didn't prevent me from thinking that i had seen not a single drop of rain while i was in England and i caught it just as i was back in Italy.

The Iscariot priestesses tied me and Rip with silver handcuffs, blocking our arms behind our backs and lead us to the doors.

A whole platoon of swiss guards was lined up on two ranks on the sides of the runway. I counted sixty of them, all with bullet-proof vests and heavy weapons. They stood motionless, upright in their traditional uniforms. Usually, those ancient looking clothing looked ridiculous, but now they were simply threatening.

Maxwell approached, walking in the middle of the two ranks, followed by two soldiers in back body armour. The guards presented arms to him with martial plasticity. He walked slowly, his eyes fixed on us, faintly grinning.

"So, it seems finally our most... fastidious enemy is in our power. And what a wonderful gift have you brought us..." he caressed Rip's chin, his evil smile widened.

"And, as if it was not enough" the Archbishop continued "Even the fiercest entity of evil has, at last, met a worthy enough opponent to be tamed... This is a grand day for the knights of God! Of course, we will arrange so that you never see light again. But fear not... your end will not be a quick one. Your tainted soul will be sent to Hell only after we'll have gouged out of you all the informations we may need against the Protestants... and shown you all the pain which derives from disobedience to the Lord!"

He leaned towards me, with an insane gaze and saliva on his mouth. I could hear his laboured breath.

I tried to bite.

A jolt from the handcuffs stopped me, a crippling pain running through all of my body.

He started to laugh. He laughed like a madman, convulsing and shaking. The he pulled himself together.

"Their personal belongings?" he asked Heinkel. She brought him a pile of all our items: Alucard's hat, glasses, guns and coat, Rip's musket and glasses, my own coat. The archbishop nodded to a man from his escort to take them.

"Bring forth the cages."

Three metal crates, barely big enough to fit a man in were brought to the plane's walkway. On their sides were inscribed, in Jewish and Latin characters, all possible anathemas and spells, with the All-Seeing Eye in the middle.

They opened the cages' doors, i tried to shake but, again, uselessly. Two of Maxwell's men were throwing me into the cage. Light disappeared, as the heavy metal door closed behind my back, preventing me from moving. I couldn't even hear any sound from outside.

All was dark.

**Yeah, Heinkel and Yunie can regenerate now. I'll explain that in the next few chapters. ****I have slightly modified my character description in chapter one, so you might want to give it a look.**

**Some reviews please?**


	8. Strangelove

**The title you can read in the box is not the actual one. Id didn't fit in the title box, so here's it.  
**

**How i learnt to stop worrying and love the Huntress**

How long did i remain in the crate? Hours? Days? Millennia?

I still am not sure about it. All i know is that when i finally saw light again, i was so blinded by it that i thought there was a god standing before me.

Instead, it was a goddess.

"Rip!"

I'd have hugged her, if only my wrists weren't blocked.

"How did you free yourself?"

"Actually, he freed me." Schrödinger, leaning on a wall, waved his hand at me.

"Oh god... well, i won't say any more bad things about you, Schrö."

"Not even if i..."

"Let me finish. I won't say bad things unless you really provoke me."

"Like if..."

I considered shutting him up saying something bad, but it would've sounded a bit like hypocrisy. I could've let him speak without caring. I could've let him speak _pretending _i didn't care. Or i could've blown him up.

The last hypothesis was the most tempting one, but i wasn't in condition to blow up anything so i decided for the one before.

"Like if... hum... i cant think of anything right now. Do you mind if in tell you later?" he said. Evidently, all the bad luck i had had was being compensated with an incredible amount of good fortune.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Under some big church." said the Cat-boy.

"We're in the basement of Saint Peter, i think." she said "Vatican grounds."

"In our enemies' lair..."

"Wait, i unlock your handcuffs, just stand still." she took an enormous sword from a table nearby. I couldn't see much of the room we were in: it was too dark and all of my powers were blocked by the magical bonds. As she shattered them with a few strikes of the sword, my sight cleared.

We were in a storeroom, an enormous hall filled with shelves and crates. It seemed they had been piling up stuff for hundreds of years. And any kind of stuff: crates and boxes were of all sizes, from that of a pencil to enormous block which could've contained an elephant. I realized my silver cage was in a crate too, although now it was destroyed.

"This reminds me Indiana Jones." i said.

"I don't like Indiana Jones." said Rip and Schrö, nearly in chorus.

"I think i can guess why. But now.. have you opened any other crate?"

"A few, we were looking for something to break the handcuffs."

"And you've found this Excalibur?"

"Unless King Arthur was japanese, i doubt it." She shown me the sword again. In fact, it was a japanese katana, inscribed with ideograms on the whole blade.

"Do you think it's magic?" she asked me.

"I dunno. Maybe. Where's Schrödinger, by the way?"

"Everywhere and nowhere."

"I guessed that. But he was here a moment ago. And now he's gone."

"No, he's still here, i've told you he's always here..."

"Okay, so why the hell can't we see him?"

"I don't know, ask Doc." she said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"If we ever get to see him."

"Anyway, isn't it better being without Schrödie for some time?"

"I can't tell how you're right."

We remained silent for a while.

"How have you ended up in Millennium, anyway? I know almost nothing about you." i asked.

"You think you know little of me? I don't even know your name!"

"I haven't had have a true name... since i am undead. Call me... Dragon. That's how my fledgeling called me."

"A fledgeling? You had one?"

"Yes, more or less a hundred and fifty years ago. She was killed by Iscariots... like most of the vampires i knew."

"And your name is Dragon..."

"Yes, though the Hellsing Members... the Hellsingers... just call me Trickster. That's the way Dracula calls me."

"Dracula is Zamiel, right?"

"Yes. Why must everyone call him by different names?"

"Why must i call you Dragon and they trickster? If you answer this question, you'll answer your own, simple."

A few minutes of silence. I looked around.

Being trapped in a storage under the Vatican shouldn't be very pleasurable, but when you've at your disposition all the items Iscariot has requisite during the ages, you surely can find some way to amuse yourself.

"We should try opening some other box, at least to find our equipment... is there a crowbar somewhere?"

"Ja, there was one inside a crate."

"Leaving a crowbar _inside _a crate? How can one open the crate if the tool to do so is inside it?"

"The Iscariot boss is mad. Why must it make sense? And besides we can just punch them to bash 'em."

"Right you are." i took the crowbar. It seemed a pretty normal one.

We started opening some crates, i with the crowbar, she with the sword. At first, we only found useless trinkets, minor profanities. There seemed to be some order to the disposition of the items, but it was impossible to understand without any clue. She started singing a song i didn't know. I could've listened to her for centuries, but i was too curious about her and decided to interrupt her.

"You didn't answer me before. How did you get recruited in Millennium?"

We spoke as we proceeded randomly wrecking crates and hoarding everything in the middle of the room.

"I got recruited after they saw my thesis at university about Die Freischütz, and the fact that the magic bullets there mentioned could've been useful in the war. My professor nearly killed me as he read that, but the day after i got recruited."

"And you just accepted?"

"Why not? After all they all- i mean all the people at school and university- always treated me so... distantly. I mean... they always were so let-Rip-alone-she-has-enough-problems-on-her-own."

"I get your meaning. Never too friendly, nor unfriendly enough for them to be rude..."

"Yeah, i think they just tried to look polite enough while they were at a decent distance. They didn't like how i spoke, they didn't like how i studied, they didn't like how i sang..."

"Which proves how stupid they were..."

"Yeah... but you see, they seemed so... they seemed a lot more in their place than me. I studied, but i was never among the best ones at school, and i never had a lot of friends... before i joined Millennium."

"I understand... it's like you were among people who just lived on another world. I have always felt like this... like i was an alien. Even among vampires... they just seem to think in a different way than me."

"Simply that they're... mindless. I always... hear in my head, my voice, like... my minds, my... personalities... that argue. And i decide hearing those... but i feel it's so different from how other people think..."

"I believe most of people doesn't think at all. They just follow other people. They just... do what other people think they're supposed to do. They don't care at all of what there's in their head."

"It's so... wrong. You see, when you listen the Major, you understand he really believes in what he does, and does what he believes..."

"But so you do what he thinks..."

"Not precisely. Every Werwolf has his own objective. I think this war can be... a way to cleanse all the wrongness there's in the world and start over."

"Maybe you're right. After all, a good trashing is what the world deserves since civilization begun."

"And besides- wait, i think i've found it! My musket! Back together!"

She hugged the rifle, with all the love imaginable. Now call me with all the adjectives you wish, but right then i thought of it as i rival.

I realized how stupid that though was later on, when she explained me the Musket was female.

Near the crate with the musket we found Alucard's stuff, and we decided to stop searching and rest a bit. The floor of the storeroom was littered with wood pieces and in the middle there was a huge pile of useless items we found. There was little of useful among the confiscated items, a few magical amulets, a ring that definitely wasn't magic but it was nice, the sword, of course, and the crowbar. I was analysing the amulets, one was a werewolf teeth mounted on a golden chain.

"Hey! Look at this!" she called me. Before i could reach her, a flash of light burst out an opening door.

"Cos'è tutto 'sto casino?!" yelled a man of which was visible only the silhouette, for bright that was the light outside the room.

"He said 'what's all this mess'" i translated.

Before he could say another word, something overcame him and he was thrown down on the floor. It had not been either Rip or me. We heard soft footsteps on the wooden pieces on the floor, then every sound vanished. We looked around for a few seconds.

I felt something pulling the edge of my shirt. I jumped up, terrorized. As i turned around i saw a little, cute girl wearing a white coat and a furry hat.

She was smiling with blood stained teeth.

"Vlad?"

"It's Alucard, now. Try to remember it."

"Oh... sure."

My Master was looking at me wearing the shape of a little girl, the Huntress was hiding behind my back and i was wondering why the Hell did i have to be just in the middle. The extremes seemed much more comfortable.

"Who was that man?" i asked.

"Nobody. Just a factotum. His blood was so... tasteless." hearing that was... disturbing. Alucard's words in a girl's voice...

"How did you manage to free yourself?"

"They were bringing me in a torture room. When they opened the crate i surprised them. They even asked me if my parents were near here."

"Not since a few centuries ago..."

"That's right what i said!" she shown all the excitement you expect in a pre-teen girl. "and then i smiled and..."

"I don't want to hear it."

"Oooh please... it's so nice!"

"Did the torture instruments have a busy day?"

"mmmmmh... yes!"

"Then i don't want to hear it."

"No wait" Rip said "After all this girl is so cute! Tell us!"

_Author's note: if i wrote what Alucard said right now the story rating would jump to V (forbidden to people under two hundred years of age)so i am regretfully forced to censure it. _

My initial disinterest faded away as he explained us how he mutilated, drained, decorticated torn apart and chewed every mortal in the whole floor. He did have an ability for careful description.

When he finished Rip exclaimed "Oh, it's soooo cute! We should foster her!"

I and Alucard looked in each other's eyes.

"Rip... you know she's Him and he's older than the two of us put together?"

"She's so cute anyway!"

She hugged both of us, so we were four counting the Musket.

It was one of those moments i'll remember forever, and i mean _forever_ in the most literal sense. We were trapped in a dungeon, enemies above and around us, we were nearly enemies one of the other, but we were hugging just like old friends... it felt so good, it felt like...

like home.

**Don't ask why Girlycard. I just felt a need to fit her in the story.**

**Maybe you disagree with what i make Rip say in here, because you expected her to be a different chacter. Actually, i hope you do. You see, many Hellsing fans remarked the fact Rip had too little time in the manga, but i think this is the best thing for her. So anyone can imagine her as he wishes, and this is, i'm sure, the reason why so many Hellsing fans love this character.**

**Anyway, this is just my theory**.


	9. DIES IRAE

**In the end of this chapter there's something you could call blasphemy, but Hellsing lovers don't really care for profanity, do they?**

That was a hard day for the Vatican.

We caused all the destruction that can be caused by a girl with two guns, a huntress with a musket and a sorcerer with fireballs. We started a killing contest, and Alucard was winning, needless to say.

Just as i blown my seventeenth opponent, equalizing Rip, a whole squad of black armoured soldiers came out of nowhere. We were in a wide corridor, they blocked both ways. Their equipment was the same as Maxwell's bodyguards': night vision glasses, heavy machine-guns, grenades and big swords. The all wore white mantles with red crosses.

"Stop, vampires! You're surrounded!"

"Don't make a move! We have anti-freak weapons!"

"Drop your weapons and kneel! Now!"

None of us moved. There were at least twenty of them in sight.

Alucard went to the first one who had spoken and shook his hand.

"Pleased to meet you. Hope you guess my name."

The soldier remained puzzled. Twenty laser pointers concentrated on Girlycard.

"And who are you, sir?" he (or she?) asked.

"I... hm... are your parents around here?" said the fighter, absently.

I saw Girlycard's eyes grow wider, as she put in motion both her childish cuteness and vampiric charm.

"I'm orphaned, sir."

"Oh... poor girl... don't worry, we're going to protect you... the Templar Knights are guardians above all..."

"Oh. The Templars. You're the knights of fables, sir?"

"Yes... maybe... you can call us like that... but we're real..."

"Oh... those heroes could kill any monster... let's see if you can!"

The Hellhound materialized, eating the hand of the Templar before he could pull himself together. The others started shooting, creating wide holes in the black mass of the Undead.

They weren't average fighters, and we all knew it. Not regenerators, their energy was definitely magic, something darker. They had auras of dangerous power which made them seem nearly invulnerable. The severed hand was the only damage we seemed to be able to inflict them, and it was just thank to surprise. I turned frenetically around creating magic shields, but their weapons seemed to blow them with ease. There were no bullets: simply pulses, minuscule light balls.

Rip's shots didn't pierce their armours. It was clear they weren't mere bulletproof vests: they resembled in shape mediaeval plate armours and regenerated as they were hit. The three of us regrouped in the centre of the corridor, dodging and parrying the pulses as we could.

"We're not going anywhere!" i yelled.

"Thank you, i'd have never understood this on my own." Alucard said "DO YOU HAVE A FUCKING PLAN?"

"I..."

The rhythmical repetition of the guns noise ceased. They were out of ammo.

"That's a plan! Lets' attack now!"

Twenty knights drew swords in the same instant.

"Companions, let us rid the world of this evil!"

"I repeat the question. Do you have an idea?"

"I repeat the answer... no!"

"No matter, _I_ do.

_Releasing control lock restriction system three, two one. Approval of situation A recognized. Commencing the Cromwell indication. Ability restriction lifted for limited use until the enemies have been rendered silent._

Now, knights of God, meet the Day of Wrath!"

Eyes filled the corridor, the walls were covered in black and tentacles emerged from it. Shadow-like hands blocked the templars' path. I and Rip hugged in the centre of the room, under her umbrella.

A humanoid figure took shape into the dark mass, a demonic Alucard with an enormous red eye in his chest. As he opened his mouth, three Hell-Hound heads emerged out of it and attacked the paladins. Every time they severed a head of the monster, three more emerged, like a cross between Cerberus and the Hydra. Every piece of the monster that was cut off fell on the black substance which covered the floor, merging again with Alucard. The resistance of the knights lasted a few minutes, then their blows fell weak and imprecise on the Undead, and one after the other they were maimed and killed. Under their feet mouths opened to collect all the blood which fell from their wounds. The hellhound's many heads contended every piece of flesh or armour ripped off the knights' bodies. Of the twenty knights, only three were standing when the mouths on the floor rose like long-teethed mushrooms and lazily chewed their limbs. Alucard's main body walked to them, retreating the hydra-heads back into his mouth.

"So, Paladins of the Lord, how does it feel to face your doom? Where is you God now, that you are in need of him?"

He walked slowly, reabsorbing most of his essence. Tentacles immobilized what remained of the three templars and rose them high enough to look into the vampire's eyes, holding them through the holes in their bodies.

"Have you confessed your last sins? I don't think it would mind anyway, since it won't be your god to judge you. It will be ME! Be prepared for an eternity in Hell as my servants!"

Three mouths bite contemporaneously the paladins' necks, not just bleeding them, absorbing them. Alucard laughed, making the whole church shake from its foundations. His body returned whole, in his usual tall, red dressed body. Then he turned to us.

"Watch me and learn, neonates. This is what a true vampire looks like!"

He walked down the corridor, evidently knowing where was he going. He didn't even mind to look if we were following him.

And actually, we weren't following him. I and Rip were paralysed.

"... ehm. That was scary." she said.

"Really. I had never seen him... like this."

"So he's... the Devil? I mean, the Antichrist and that kind of things?"

"I don't know... he's... Evil. I mean, not just evil, he's _the_ Evil."

"Its so... i mean..."

"Unsettling."

"Ja. Are you sure he can't harm us?"

"Almost..."

"You could be a little more reassuring."

"As long as we're together he won't hurt us. Of this, i'm sure."

"Whew. Oh, before i forget, when we get to see Doc remind me to show him this. It's a piece of their armour."

"How could you save it? I thought he'd not have given up a single mouthful!"

"A arm rolled just to my feet, so i took it. It's like... a living thing."

I took the piece from her hand; it was unexpectedly heavy, and it tickled my palm like it was moving. Looking at it carefully, it was visible as its edges were coagulating. I handed it back to her, it made me feel uncomfortable.

We rushed after Alucard, to find him shooting to a few swiss guards, mere humans, who fell with ease.

"Where are you taking us?" i asked him.

"Where those knights' blood has told me Anderson is. And it's the same place where lies the source of their power."

"What is it? The Grail?"

"No" Rip said "it can't..."

"Silent. It's not the Chalice. It's something much more ancient. And more powerful."

"And where is it?"

"Above us, in a room where only Iscariots and the Pope himself can accede."

"What is it? An Angel? A Demon? The Arch?"

"You wouldn't imagine. Just follow me."

The anonymous and steel-plated corridors of the lower levels left space to frescoed hallways as we climbed stairs and slaughtered enemies. Te total count of our killings reached a hundred (fifty Alucard, twenty-seven Rip, twenty three me) when we got to the door of the Inner Sanctum. Actually, it was the fresco of a door, part of a painted building in a scene of the life of i don't know which saint. But when Alucard turned the apparently painted handle, it moved and the door opened. Due to the painting's prospective, it was trapezoidal and very small, he had to bow down to enter it.

Before i could follow him, i felt a motion behind me.

"Heinkel Wolfe, the one and only." i turned slowly around. Beside me, Rip was loading the musket.

"You vampires should never have come here. I could just let you go in and die because of what you'll see." the priestess said.

"It's not like you can't forbid us to go anyway."

"Wanna try?"

"The fact is, when a vampire with a rifle meets a priest with a pistol, the priest with the pistol is a dead priest."

"You don't have a rifle."

"She does."

I and the magic bullet got to her at the same time. I slashed her left arm, the musket ball transfixed her legs making her fall. I cracked her right arm and got to her throat. I felt her body regenerating under me, just like that of the templar, this power was definitely not the same as the one which sustained Anderson.

She tried to escape my grip, but i embraced her piercing her back with my claws and turned my legs around her own. Then i drained her. Completely. After her neck was destroyed and not a single drop of vitae came out of it, i ripped her clothes and cut her skin, extracting the little amount of fluid which came out of it. In the end, to prevent her from turning into a ghoul, i broke down her breast and chest to gouge out her hearth.

Ok, i know what you're thinking. I'm a bad guy. I'll admit it: leaving no blood for Rip hadn't been a very chivalrous act. But Heinkel was _my _enemy and i wanted to finish her myself.

"Twenty four for me."

I felt and odd sensation, like a flu -you might think it's not very odd, but when you've been immune to any disease for three hundred years it's not a very familiar sensation. It was like mist enshrouding my body from inside, making me a little bit clumsy and weak. Not really a bad sensation, and it didn't really obfuscate my senses, but... as a vampire, you don't feel any pain below a critical wound, so that kind of... illness was a nearly pleasurable sensation.

I pulled together and entered the trapezoid door after Rip. The inner sanctum was a small, dark and almost empty room. The only thing that was inside it was a wide altar with a skeleton on it.

"Is this all here?" i asked.

"No." Alucard leaned his hand on a hidden hole in the altar extracting a book. "This is the true secret. The final mystery. The ultimate apocryphal."

"What is it?"

"The Gospel according to Judas Iscariot."

"He wrote a gospel too?"

"That's what those paladins believed. I don't know if it's true. I may be old, but not old enough to have seen the Messiah alive. Although, it seems, i'm still in time to see him dead."

"You don't mean what i think you mean, do you?"

"Look at it yourself. The chest is broken just like a spear stabbed it, hands and feet seem to have been nailed..."

We all stood silent for a while.

"So all Christians have believed in a historical fake."

"There's more." Alucard riffled the book. "There's much more."

**I have a little request for any of my readers. If there's anyone with a little skill in drawing, i'd _really _need some picture to what Dragon should look like. In case someone is interested, they can email me through or send a message on my DeviantArt account: HyrAyl**


	10. A Late Ouverture

**Okay, this is the newest chapter. What could i say about it? I changed the story title, as first thing.**

**Now, there's another matter, how could i explain it...  
**

**Well, from now on, Rip's POV.**

**Clear enough?**

**...**

**...**

**I'm not sure of how it turned out. I need feedback about this, at least to know if i should continue with Rip's POV or return to Dragon's. Or maybe some other character. **

**So, i'm going to post next chapter after at least four new reviews.  
**

"Yes. Here, listen to this." The Devil found some interesting passage.

"Liberally translated from Latin: "I cannot accept my doings. All my life has been rendered useless by a single act. The thirty coins i received are but an additional burden for my sin.

Did i have any choice? If i had only been promised coins from the Romans, ad i've been, i'd have not betrayed my Master. If i only had been threatened of death, and i've been, i wouldn't have betrayed my Master. I i had been corrupted and menaced, and i've been, i wouldn't have betrayed my Master.

But He himself spoke to me, He himself explained what was inevitable. That day was His last: His death was an inevitable step on the road to His ascension. And he ordered me, as His most faithful Apostle and His most beloved companion, to make His life end to the hands of other men than us.

Oh, if only i could stab Him myself, make His departure painless and immediate, avoiding the Passion and the derision of the citizens! But He chose the path of sorrows, to understand fully the world of mortals.

I cannot accept of having been the instrument of His death, even though i've been instrument of His ascension altogether. I will hang myself, once this my confession is complete. I know i won't have a place at His side in Heaven, for i obeyed Him, following His mind, and i haven't saved Him, following my heart.

But i've done what i had to."

He was such an amazing storyteller! I felt like being there, like feeling what Judas felt, like really seeing him... it's so strange that a monster like him could get so... beautiful. It was magic.

"I've skipped a few passages and put together a few parts, but this is the point of what it says. Judas was not an agent of Satan, but of God."

We stood silent for a while. I was considering that story. After all, i don't believe in God, not they way Christians do, at least. The only god i had ever met was Zamiel. But anyway, those vatican people deliberately hid what they believed to be the truth and used for their purposes. Such... cowardice. After all those were supposed to be their ideals. In Milennium, when Hitler stopped winning wars and started exterminating people just because of race, without even fighting them, we openly separated from his ideology. He even thought to create perfect warriors by selecting race, and he refused Doc's studies to improve us through technology. That's just stupid. Now we are the Übermensch, the Overmen, and it's not a matter of races or anything. It's a matter of usefulness for the War.

I tried to explain this to Zamiel and Dragon, but as always when i'm trying to say something too quickly i messed it up and i don't think they fully understood it.

I had no time to repeat, because an explosion shook the earth. The altar was swallowed in the floor and silver plates locked the hole. Probably automated defence, but how could we have activated it?

"Something is happening above us." said Zamiel, or Alucard, or whatever. "And i bet our fanatic friends are not too happy about it. Follow me!"

We followed him, like we had any choice. He led us upstairs, trough hallways and hidden doors, always knowing where to go. We encountered more fighters and priests on our way, but no more templars. Dragon nearly reached me, with twenty nine kills against thirty, while Zamiel was so out of range that we even stopped counting. Finally, we entered a small tower, with a loophole on the exterior. Soft and cold night breeze invested us as an immense vampiric fist broke through the wall.

Rome was beautiful. And it was burning. And, incredibly, there was a Zeppelin in the sky. The lights of the city were obscured by smoke and clods, screams filled the air and the smell of gunpowder and blood pervaded it all.

"They came for us! They came!" i attempted singing a bit of hymn to joy, but there was too much noise. We were on a edge of Saint Peter, the plaza was full of Millennium troopers, Iscariots, Templars and ghouls. I saw Hans guiding our vampires; It was just too beautiful to be true! They nearly raided a whole city just to save me!

I ran to battle, hoping Dragon and Zamiel would've followed me. I had a single magic bullet left, and i couldn't make new ones during the battle.

Oh, right, you ask how are they made. Well, it's quite simple. The point is that i can enchant only a few at a time. They must be merged with a soul, and i usually use either those of my enemies or of some soldier. The last lot was made with the factotum killed in the Vatican basement. I just have to impress the soul on a paper, writing some formulae with the blood of a dying one, and then burn the bullets inside the paper. I must admit Doc has helped me a bit with the formulae, but it's mainly my idea- and only i can make them._... _ehm, so don't try that at home children, ok?

In the battlefield, Hans was guiding our troops against the Vatican ones, although we seemed to lose ground. Hans was in human form, but he turned into the Wolf when the two Hellsingers approached. The Devil of course started to battle him. I saw the wolf and the dog, the raw power and the tamed one, the burning chaos and the cold order.

Dragon jumped beside me, while he blew up a couple of Swiss guards.

"I didn't know there was an attack scheduled in here."

"Nor i did! They made us a surprise! Shame your Hellsingers aren't here."

"Really. I wouldn't expect Integra to leave us behind... but probably they're busy with your vampires in London."

"Ja, that's right... But anyway, there's still enough to have some fun!"

"Maybe too much... it seems we're not winning."

"If only your Master would stop fighting with Hans and get to work..."

"Well, he's not precisely on Millennium side, remember?"

"He could help anyway."

"I'm not going there and ask him."

A scream interrupted us, coming from inside the church. I had heard that voice only once, but i recognized it. Paladin Alexander Anderson.

"DIE, INFEDELS! GOD IS MARS!"

"What?" asked Dragon "God is Marx? Are there even Vatican communists?"

"He said Mars."

"Oh."

Bayonets flew onto our undead, while a whole platoon of templars ran out the cathedral door, shooting blindly on us. The energy orbs torn apart the flesh of ghouls like a knife trough the butter, i decided to use my last bullet. It distracted them, but soon it lost its energy, wasted trying to pierce their living armours.

The power of the Messiah's body fuelled them. They seemed invincible.

Zamiel and Hans had stopped fighting and looked at Anderson, standing in the middle of a cone of light which crossed the thick clouds. Flames seemed to burn all around him, unnatural blue flares. My bullet described a last, lazy round before hitting his chest.

It melted.

Alucard ran on the paladin, in a fiendish winged form, eyes all over his body. He was pushed back as soon as he reached the light.

The vampire drew his guns, not just taking them, creating two new arms which already held them. He started to shoot, while hound heads coming from his body held off the Templars.

Anderson didn't even try to dodge the shots. He rose an hand, and all the bullets were immobilized and cast away.

"This cannot be...! This is... this is impossible!"

"Nothin' is impossibal fer those who serve da Lord!"

Hans let out a howl, long, acute and sad. It was the signal for retreat. All the soldiers who were close enough to the blimp started climbing the rope they descended with, and i was nearly overthrown by the multitude retreating. We'd have left a fair amount of ghouls behind, anyway, so they could finish the job.

Hans made me sign to pull back. I saw Dragon fighting his way to Alucard, fireballs in both hands, surrounded.

"We'll see in London" he yelled "Try to stay alive." then he shpaeshifted and flew above the templars, then disappeared. I don't know which of his techniques did he use, but anyway he had left Alucard behind- it didn't seem a very good idea. What could the Iscariots do to him? I felt... concerned for him. He was the enemy, all right, but he had saved me... and he was also a cute girl! We couldn't let a cute girl to die there!

Hans took me off my thought by grabbing me and carrying me up into the Zeppelin.

Most of the soldiers up there were hurt and mutilated, bleeding on the metal floor. The panels on it closed as soon as i and Hans climbed up, leaving a few of our men behind. From the windows i could see and enormous eight eyed dog running through the streets of the city, Nero's burning Rome. Even Alucard, even the Devil had decided to retreat.

"Sturmfürer. We have reported heavy losses, the Major has issued to retreat."

It had been a simple soldier to speak, or a sergeant, or whatever, it was the last thing i could care for.

"i see. Can i have a room, please? Is there any cabin in here...?" i felt... discouraged. I had been saved just to see we had unbeatable enemies. And i felt... i... didn't like to part from Dragon. He was... like... dear to me. Even though we knew little of each other... it would've felt better if he came on the Zeppelin too.

Sure, he couldn't... but...

I was simply confused. In one way, i needed to have him near to feel better, in the other i felt it was all easier if he was away. At least now i knew who were the enemies.

I realized the soldier had explained me where to go for my cabin, but i had heard not a word of that. I looked at him puzzled, while i noticed there was a chink in my glasses.

The soldier asked me if it was all right.

Wasn't that the first thing Dragon had said to me? No... maybe. What was the point, anyway?

Hans took my head from behind and gently shook it. It was a thing he did when i was deep in thought, to wake me up. I turned to him and looked in his eyes, taking out my glasses. There's something, in those eyes, that makes you understand there's more to him than you'd expect. I reckon he always understands what i am thinking about, and he cares about it. He cares about us all, listens so well... he can make you speak your hearth, and you understand how much are you important for him. Like when we had to left Germany, at the end of the war. We were all sad and hopeless. He can't speak a word, but he listened to me, listened to all of us, our sad thoughts, our cries, and he made everything seem better.

But for some reason, for something i couldn't fully understand, i didn't want to speak to him. I let him take me to my cabin, his tall and imposing figure reassured me anyway, when i opened the door of the small room he entered behind me.

I sat on the bed, closing my eyes. I felt him beside me, his arm ran on my shoulders, then he hugged me. There was nothing strange in it, we were lie brothers but... it wasn't a brotherly embrace, i felt passion... i felt his passion towards me.

Did he change, or did i became aware of it only now?

A tear run on my cheek, Una Furtiva Lacrima.

**If anyone was wondrering, Una Furtiva Lacrima (one stealthy tear) is the name of an aria in the Italian opera "Elisir d'Amore". I hope nobody is going to flame about the style of my apocryphal...**


	11. A long way home

I was motionless, in the warm embrace of the werewolf, just thinking. I hated when that happened to me. For no reason, i just felt all the weight of the world on my shoulders, i felt apathetic yet emotional. I didn't want to move a muscle, letting my brain face all the bad things i could think of. Hans was still holding me in his arms, it felt like... safety, and meanwhile danger. He was... like... asking me something. He was asking me what was wrong, and he was offering his consolation. I just didn't want it...

"Please, i want to stay alone for a bit. I don't feel very well."

he looked at me, offended, maybe, or simply confused. I had never asked him to go away. Never.

But i was really feeling so bad... i felt an urge to speak of this with Zorin. She surely would've pulled my leg and told i was just an emotional baby, and she'd have been right... but i felt a need for it. I can't say why.

Hans walked out with a hangwolf look, i felt so guilty. What was i thinking about when i threw him away like that? What was i thinking about him? He was just trying to help me, because he knew i was in a bad moment... i considered running again in the corridor and calling him back, but i just stayed, immobile, there. I crouched, in a foetal position on the bed, feeling more tears coming up to my eyes. I was adding trouble to trouble.

From the porthole, saw the city below us letting space to the country, a wide and overcrowded road delimited it. Ghouls were rampaging among the cars, people seemed not to even try escaping, most of them just closed the windows and pretended to be safe.

It didn't provoke me any emotion.

I took out the glasses, saw i was all covered in blood... i didn't care. I didn't even feel thirsty. I just felt empty.

Why did i let this happen to me? I tried to repeat me i am the Huntress, i am not supposed to let me go like that... maybe i was just trying to do something beyond me... I had followed Millennium ideals for so long that i felt unnatural to separate from them... but somewhere in my chest, buried beneath the pain and the grief, i felt a need for peace.

I returned on the bed, with no intention to sleep. I just wanted to stay there and let myself down.

I thought to the Dragon, i though to myself, i thought to Hans. At least about him, i knew it was my fault. A painful fault, it made me feel better in some way. It was... plain. Simple.

What did i have to do? I knew i had to prepare new bullets, to help Hans, to tend to the injured soldiers, but everything i wanted to do was to stay there.

Everything had been torn apart. Just everything. Speaking with him... i had said a lot of things i just discovered i believed in. maybe i had always known that.... but i had been leaving aside a lot of things about myself in all of those years.

I closed my eyes, pretending to breathe. I'd have found time to pull myself together, it was such a long way home.

Did i have a home? Was it with Millennium? Or with my old family? They were all dead now. Was there anyone left? Anyone but me? For a second, i felt sure that opening the door i'd have found a world littered only of corpses, where i was the only living thing... only that i wasn't alive any more.

"Rise und shine, Obersturmführer. Not zhat i vish to imply any laziness of yours... but ve have a tight schedule."

Doc had entered the room. I was sure i locked the door.... but he probably had a skeleton key.

"What is it? Must i... prepare for some mission?"

"Nein. You are to be considered unavailable for missions, until ve have restored your control device."

"You mean my FREAK chip?"

"Exactly. I will test on you zhe newest version. More precise, quicker to react, and above all, lighting proof."

"So you will be monitoring me again?"

"Of course. Ve cannot leave one of our best agents vithout control, can ve?"

"...of course."

"So, in consideration of all of your efforts on zhe battlefield, i vill do it in anaesthesia."

"Very... kind."

I fell in darkness, a long, dreamless sleep. When i woke up, i was in Doc's lab, lying on a metal bed covered with a white blanket. It looked more suitable for dead than living people... but after all that's what i was. Dead.

There was no one else in the laboratory; many empty beds were lined on it's sides, in the centre various weird machineries, everything was bloodstained and threatening. I touched my nape, feeling the sewed cut, not yet regenerated.

Why did it suddenly feel so wrong? So.... unnatural? I had a chip in my neck for fifty years, why now it seemed so different? I had to deal with it anyway... like i always did. There was no... reason to be worried. They just couldn't risk to lose me. That was all.

Bud did i really want not to be lost?

I rose up and stretched. I felt numb, like i had slept for many hours- which was strange, since Doc never took too long on a single patient. Maybe he wanted me to rest? But why? He should've seen i had no need to. And even if he thought i needed, he'd have woken me up anyway.

My suit had very likely been thrown away, but i didn't care much- after all that had happened, there were more holes than tissues. I suddenly remembered the things i had in my pockets.... i wondered if Doc had taken those.

I saw a note on a wheelchair nearby. Doc's writing, he said he had taken the piece of strange material and he didn't know what to do with the other thing. He had left it there, and it was good because i still wanted to show it to Dragon. I stood up and looked down to my body, realizing i was paler than usual- and this means _really _pale. There was no visible injury, so either Doc had cured me or i had regenerated- both things required a lot of time.... too long for me. What was happening in the world? Where was i? Where were Dragon and Alucard?

"Doc? Are you here?"

No answer. At least he could've left me some clothes.... was he expecting me to go around the blimp naked? I walked around the room a bit to see if there was anything,. I finally found on a rack an uniform. My own uniform, the one with the tabs of the first lieutenant. It was brand new.... how long ago had been the last time i had worn an uniform? Fifty years, maybe. I was no longer used to it, although the sensation of a new, clean dress made me feel better, after days in that same suit.

"Is there anyone here? Anyone who can hear me?"

I was again overcome by that same vision, a world full of corpses where i was the last one standing....

"Obersturmführer! Finally! We were starting to worry!" a low-rank soldier had appeared from a corridor.

"What? Why?"

"We're suffering heavy losses, the city is filled with enemy forces!"

"What city? What enemy?"

"London! I mean, don't you even know where are we..."

"No, und she vas supposed not to learn." Doc was behind me, i didn't hear him approaching.

"Doc? Why not? Why...."

"Zhe reason is strictly confidential und i cannot say anything else. For now, you vill reamin in your kuartiers until furzher notice."

"Why?!"

"As i've said, it's confidenzial. And you vill be denied the use of your veapon until i and zhe Major have figured out the problem."

"What problem? What the Hell is happening?"

"Soldier, escort Obersturmführer Van Winkle to her kuartiers."

"Why must you pull me around? What have i done?"  
Doc turned his back on me, as the solider pushed me in a cabin. The windows were obscured, couldn't see anything outside, nor feel some fresh air.

When you're trapped and you don't know what to do, you start asking yourself things lie 'why me?' and 'what if?' but there was no other in my place, no other chance to take. It had been what it had been. I didn't know yet why was i detained, nor why had Doc kept me unconscious so long, but i was sure it was related to what happened in the Vatican.

Did it matter now? Did anything matter any more? I, once again, felt hopeless. I just wanted my mom to be there and cheer me up.... i remembered little of my old family. my father was a theatre director, my mother a housewife.... we weren't poor, but not rich either. My father used to speak a lot of his time in the war, as a simple soldier. He always said he didn't like being in the army. my mother instead always told me tales of heros and brave men, saying there was always some knight ready to save me, if only i decided to believe in him,

Maybe that was it. I just had to wait. Wait until someone came to.... help me.

No. No waiting. No whining. It was time to save myself.

"I am not a child." i said, aloud, trying to convince myself. "I am the Huntress! My warhead punishes all without distinction!"

I bashed open the door. The soldier was still stationing there, guarding me. I grabbed his neck and kept him immobilized as i took his gun.

He shook, unable to speak or to free himself.

"No distinction!" i shot in both his eyes and let his lifeless body fall on the floor. Finally there were really no distinctions, no orders. It was up to me, not to Millennium, to decide who were the victims. Now i only needed to find my musket and deliver Doc to his doom.

**This chapter is really short and messy.... but hopefully comprehendable.**

**Ah, and i've more or less decided how and when is this fiction going to end, after very likely five more chapters. No aticipations, i can only say to prepare for unforseen consequences. **


	12. Hellsingers

**Dragon's POV again, on his way to London. Will he find Rip? Will the Hellsing Agents hold the invasion off? Will i quit rhetorical questions?  
**

"How long will this take?"

"One more hour, plus the landing. I can't do it any quicker."

"Isn't this supposed to be a quick jet? It took me literally hours to find it!"

"It is, but i can't push it ant further!"

"Bah. I bet the passengers are already angry. Right, boys?"

I knocked on the metallic door of the pilot's cabin; ghoul moans came from the other side.

"Heard that? Do you wish to turn like them or to push further?"

"I will try, sir."

"Good boy. Anyway, don't get too nervous about ghoulizing people, i bet nobody will ever realize i turned our passengers."

"With all respect, sir, i'd bet against you. They were the Italian government."

"That's what i mean. As ghouls they won't do their job any worse. And they appeared to own the fastest jet available, so i had not much choice, did i?"

"...surely, sir."

"Now, be sure to make the ride in less time possible, i have to think."

I went out the door, kicking the ghouls out of the way, and lied down on a couple of seats.

"Shut up, scum, i need peace!"

The ghoulish growls ceased. Such unclean and unreliable servants...

I regretted having abandoned Alucard, but there was no way i could get to him between the armies of templars. He didn't seem to be in more danger than usual, but Integra would've given me my share of trouble when i got to see her... if i got to see her.

Yeah... just like Integra was my main problem. Rip had been taken away, and i knew they wouldn't have left her without a chip. Or they'd have just fried her for letting herself caught. Why didn't i take her with me? Why did i just run away like that? I could only hope that blimp was heading to London..... i took out of my pockets my little big treasure, her pendant, which i had taken in the Vatican warehouse. That swastika once made me feel bad, now it was my memory of her.

"Wherefore art thou, my love?" i said, in a low voice. One of the ghouls heard that and leaned towards me.

I bashed its head off its neck.

"Oh. They'll have to find a new prime minister."

It didn't make me feel much better, although violence is always gratifying. I wasn't going to solve my problem through it, anyway. I was so impotent towards the situation, i still wonder what would've come of me if the pilot decided to play the hero and bring me somewhere else. I was experimenting something i had not felt in more than a century at least, since my first and last fledgeling. Someone i cared for was in danger and i couldn't do anything about it. Was i turning in a knight in a shiny armour, willing to risk my life for my lady? No. I was, i am, a monster.

I have never figured out if love for mortals is the same thing as for vampires. Vampires have two kinds of love, a natural and an unnatural one. The natural one is that towards a certain mortal, and it leads vampires to reproduction. But since vampires are nearly hermaphrodites and all brothers, loving another vampire is like homosexuality and incest at the same time. Most mortals would think it's wrong, but what i think is that since this love is not driven by any instinct or purpose, it's the purest and most true form of passion.

"Sir, we're encountering turbulence" the radio said.

"And i'm expecting not to be disturbed, or i'll show you true turbulence!" i screamed.  
The radio did not answer, i hoped the pilot got my message.

I turned to the ghoul group "The one of you who was the minister of war, go fetch me the gun i left over there." One of the undead came carrying my second treasure, a templar rifle. I took it from one of Alucard's victims right before making my escape. It was black and heavy, with a silver and cross-shaped handle, i had to hold it by the barrel- although it wasn't a barrel actually. It was formed by two serpentines joining in the end, mounted on a Y shaped block under which lied the handle. I couldn't make out how did it work. I hoped Walter knew more.

What was left to do, aside from worrying about Rip? Nothing? Good, so i could start worrying for real.

_There something much more important to worry about._ A voice echoed in my mind.

_Alucard?_

_The one and only. Listen, since you've so bravely decided to run away, you have to warn Integra._

_Of what?_

_Of the fact there's a whole battalion of Iscariots heading her way._

_Why? I thought they wanted you._

_They do. But apparently not hard enough. Maxwell is driving on England, Anderson with him._

_And what about you?_

_I'm having fun with these knights. They're better than most vampires. _

_Oh. And is my old friend Yumie there too?_

_Who?_

_The crazy nun._

_Oh. Haven't seen her yet. I'll keep you informed._

_Great. Now, if you don't mind, i was trying to think._

_To the pathetic pseudo-vampire girl. She'd make a great couple with that pile of dog food of a Valentine._

_Who?_

_Nobody. Not any more, at least. _

_Oh... very.... interesting._

_Don't' worry, i won't kill you so ingloriously. I am planning on something more epic._

_Reassuring._

_Now i have something else to do. Like beating the Hell out of the world. _

And he did. He definitely did.

I spent some more time in my thoughts before the pilot finally called me and said we were about to land. I went in the flying deck, holding the ghouls off him, and watched the lights of the battle below.

"Ok, now get above the city."

"It's impossible! They'll take us down! Look at those Zeppelins!"

"Don't be a whiny, they won't...."

A rocket hit the plane's left wing.

"Oh well. Guess you were right. Open the hatches, i'm going to jump down."

"And what about me?"

"Well, you've been quite a good taxi driver and i'll give you a tip."

"What?"

"My tip is: Run like Hell. Now open those hatches."

"We're too high, the pressure..."

"Open them. Now."

"Yessir."

I conjured my wings, assuming my hybrid form, and let the pressure suck me out of the plane, not before grabbing the gun. My ghouls followed me, only that while i remained in mid-air, they fell to the ground, far below. I hoped one or two were going to survive, at least partially.

Since the left wing of the plane was destroyed and there was no turbine, i didn't run the risk of being sucked and torn apart, i simply glided down, heading for the blimps. I saw the plane slowly falling to the ground, and the pilot bravely attempting to parachute. Dawn was breaking already, sunlight made my skin itch even through the thick clouds of smoke.

I landed atop one of the Zeppelins' balloon, crouching on it in a gargoyle-like pose. From there, I could see all the battle from above, but I had no clue about what I really cared for: what blimp was Rip on?

I couldn't tell which one did she board in Rome, only that it wasn't the biggest one. Anyway I couldn't try to attack them all.

Let's be realistic, on my own I couldn't take a single one of those. Reluctant as I was, I had a single choice- finding Integra. With the strength of Hellsing we could've taken easily all of those air crafts,but if Millennium had acted as expected the organization would've been stranded, if not destroyed already.

I tried to make up where could the manor be, but I was clueless. I climbed down the balloon hopping over the Zeppelin's main structure.

Below me, the battle was so chaotic and messy that I couldn't even understand who was my enemy and who my allied. Smoke rose from the falling buildings, the few remaining human soldiers were being cornered and drained without mercy.

Below me, I heard a car running at amazing speed, while someone inside kept shooting at vampires around. I recognized the Hellsing style.

Without losing time, I jumped down, wings closed, and fell until I was a few meters over the car. Then I opened the wings and landed, almost crashing the armoured roof.

Whoever was inside shot me through the window.

"It's me! Stop shooting, i'm here to help!"

Integra's head came out of the back window."  
"Oh. It's really you." she shot me again.

"Why?"

"Where's Alucard?"

"Still in Rome. He says Iscariots are coming. They use hi-tech guns." I leaned her the templar rifle "much more powerful than our own."

"Interesting design. So Maxwell had more secrets than we knew. Anything else to report, servant?"  
"Can I come in? It's a bit uncomfortable up here."  
She opened the door, I jumped in as we crushed a fence. I rolled on Integra and she shot me again.

"That was involuntary!"

"Falling on me was involuntary. But I don't believe your hands moved against your will."

"You're too suspicious."

"Just stop this. We must press on to the Manor."

"How far are we?"

"Far enough. I don't know how are we going to reach it."

"Hum, if you could drive, Walter could remove the handle from the rifle so I could use it."

"Very knightly of yours, offering _my _help."

"I's not that, I simply can't drive."

"If I might dissent" said Walter "We should stop to do this, and it would be most unwise to. It's better to delay that to when we'll have reached the manor."

"If we're ever going to...."

"We are, servant. A way or the other."

I suddenly felt a dreadful presence, something I was glad I had not felt in the last century.

"There's a werewolf! A werewolf! Run for our lives!"

"Calm down, what is it?"

"A werewolf! I have not signed a contract for Hellsing, but if I did it would've excluded werewolves, ok? Let's run!"

"Walter, can...."

"I'm most sure he's right, sir Integra. I think you should continue, i'll hold him off."

"But Walter...."

"Good idea, good idea! Integra, take the wheel, Walter, good to have known you!"

"Silent, servant! Walter, I order you to come back alive. Now...."

"Now let's go! Oh, and take the rifle- it's more use to you than to me!"

Integra shot me again. Four silver bullets in roughly fifteen minutes, all friendly fire.

"Take the templar rifle, Walter. Until we meet again, farewell."

"Farewell, sir Integra. Farewell, Dragon."

We started running again, leaving the butler behind. Good old Walter.... in the corner of my mind something told me there was something wrong, but I had no time for it right then.

Another thought crossed my mind.

Hans was in Rome. So he was on the same Zeppelin as Rip. This meant she was in London!

"Integra, which of the blimps has arrived here last? I believe that's the one where.... well... where is the Major."

"Speak the truth, servant. I can shoot you even while I drive."

"Ok, there's Lieutenant Rip Van Winkle, a Millennium deserter who can help us."

"I said 'truth'."

"That's true! I convinced her to desert... kinda."

"We'll see. The blimp is the one in the southern part of the city, but you won't go there until we've reached the manor and prepared a war plan."

"Right. Hm... I have a thing I promised to tell you.... please don't shoot me if I do."

"It depends on what is it."

"Well... since calling ourselves Hellsing Agents doesn't' sound good.... what about the Hellsingers?"

**A promise is a promise. But what is Rip doing in the meantime?**


	13. The Huntress Reborn

**Again Rip speaking, enjoy!**

The Zeppelin was, unsurprisingly, empty. With the ongoing invasion, probably only the Deus Ex Machina had some crew left.

Anyway, unless Doc had crossed the whole city under enemy fire, he _had_ to be still on there. And if he was there, he'd have been punished. I just had to find the musket..... wherever she was.

While I walked in the empty corridors, metal clinking under my feet, I felt a itch on my nape.

The chip.

For a few, endless seconds, I prepared to die. I could say my whole life flashed before my eyes, but only a few events were clear.... receiving the musket, first meeting Zorin, leaving Germany, the attack on the ship, the conversation in the Vatican vault..... but my musket was lost, Zorin had been sent to die, Dragon was trapped somewhere....

And then the feeling stopped. No burning, no death, I was still there. I was _still alive_.

And I realized the others could be. I was still in time to find the musket, to save Dragon and Zorin.... I just had to hurry.

I felt my weapon calling for me. Her magic drew me, a calling voice, a music of doom and destruction, a chorus of demons.

When I finally touched my beloved rifle, I was drawn away, torn from my body and thrown into the darkest darkness.

Then something grabbed my soul and dived it into cold water, a thousands thorns pierced me, until I was suddenly released.

And He was there.

Not the way he appeared on the ship, not the little girl of the war, not the dog he could turn into.

It was Zamiel. I remembered him from the first time I had seen the opera which changed my life. I was ten, and I remember that character scared me since the beginning.... the singer was wrapped in a black mantle, wearing large feathered hat, his face painted white and he had a red staff.....

It was Zamiel. The real Zamiel. The Devil himself.

And he spoke. His voice was a thunder and a whisper altogether, disharmonious yet beautiful.

"Rip Van Winkle. It has come the time for you to pay what you have received."

I couldn't answer. I was overwhelmed by his presence, by his power.

"You know this. There is no secret in it. Six bullets will hit for you, one will hit for me. How many did you shoot against me on the ship, Huntress?"

I tried to remember, my memory refused to work, just like my voice. I rose three fingers, hoping to get it right.

"And who did you shoot the seventh bullet?"

"The.... the priests." I managed to say, shivering.

"The priests, my enemies. And so you did in the Vatican. Now I will ask you, Huntress, where do those bullets come from?"

"I.... made them. I made them offering you the souls of...."

"And who taught you to? Who gave you the first ones?"

"I.... I can't...."

"When you were lying at my feet, fifty five years ago, I took your weapon and searched your mind. I found Zamiel, I found the Huntress. And I gave you the power of creating your bullets. Do you remember this?"

"No.... please..."

"I gave you seven bullets, with the fetter that the seventh would've followed my own will. Surprisingly, you learned to bind more souls to create more of them.... but still, those souls feed the endless ranks of my army and those bullets are mine."

"So.... those souls are....."

"Insufficient. I want yours. I made you the Huntress, I rose you above your mortal comrades. And I am now collecting the payment for what you have become. "

"So.... what shall I do..... master?"

"You will take your weapon again and fight in the war in England with one purpose alone: to save Integra Hellsing from destruction. This is my first bidding. Will you obey, Huntress?"

"I will. I will protect Integra."

"Good. Now, the second order. You will prevent the Trickster from touching her. At any cost. Will you obey, Huntress?"

"I will."

"Yes. Now, the most important one. Once the time to leave England will come, you will feel my call. You will come to me..." he leaned to me, the white-painted face was that of the most terrible of monsters, his eyes burned like twin suns. "...and you will surrender yourself."

So this was it. What I had always been meant for. Serving the Devil. Finally, al the mosaic pieces of my past had come together, and they formed my future too.

I remembered a quote I had studied in school... who had said it? Nietzsche, maybe....

_Those who fight monsters must be careful not to become monsters themselves. _

I had become a monster. Now I had to pay the price.

"I will, my Master."

"Now go, Huntress. Fulfil your duties. And come to me in due time. And one more thing..."

"Yes. Whatever is your bidding."

"You will tell no one of your chores. You will not lose your spirit. You will not despair. No one will know. You will know the time has come when you will hear the Hell singing."

I found myself free, still holding my rifle, in the storage of the Zeppelin.

I had spoken with Zamiel. I had survived. I felt an unnatural joy filling me, and even though I knew it was the effect of his spell, I liked it. It was better than being sad and worried... at least I could enjoy the time I had....

My old plan of killing Doc had to be delayed. Chip or not, I had no choice but to protect Integra. If only I had the slightest clue about her position....

Anyway I would've accomplished a thing just by standing there, I ran through the Zeppelin until I found a door.

_Now, aren't blimps supposed to be _above_ the houses?_

_And aren't they supposed to fly?_

_Oh. Damn._

I jumped of the aircraft a second before it crushed, and ran away as fast as I could, hoping it wasn't going to explode too soon.

_Now, where is the Hellsing Manor?_

I had been in London once, when I travelled with Doc to recruit the Valentine brothers. I didn't remember much of the city though, it had been a short trip.

Now, I did help them with the invasion plan... so.... periphery.... off north.... yes, it must've been that....

I had my confirm when I saw a crushed blimp near a big, devastated mansion.

I prepared for a long run. With a bit of luck, I could get there without being attacked.

While running, I realized that there was not only Integra to save. According to the plan, attacking the Hellsing ,manor was Zorin's task- and if the Major had been as gentle on her as on me, she'd have had little chances.

I started to hear explosions a kilometre away. Then gunfire. Screams of pain.

I redoubled my speed. I heard Zorin screaming, the battle cry of a vampire... I hurried as fast as I could, when I was at the door, or what remained of the door, I saw the undead flying out of the roof on black wings.

She could've been escaping. Sure. She could. But in the precise moment when I saw that thing, that entity, when I felt her power, I knew I was too late already.

I ran in the broken walls and the demolished corridors, knowing where to search, where to look....

And I found Zorin. Her body was so tortured and disfigured that I could barely recognize her, her head had been crushed, her limbs broken...

"This can't be.... THIS CAN'T BE!"

I heard the mercenaries arming their guns like they were on another world, I didn't care for that.

Zorin was dead.

The simple truth of that was what crushed me. I could lose everything, I could stand everything, but.... not this.

Not Zorin.

When I had first joined Millennium, she was the old one, the expert one.... she had taught me everything..... my guide, and my... my real friend.

Sure, we argued all the time, sure, she always pulled my leg.... but we just couldn't live without each other.... the girls of the Last Battalion.

And I knew that if either of us could bear losing the other, it was her. She would've shown nothing, She was like this. Always tough, always ready to everything..... it's not that she didn't care for me, she just.... she just knew how to go on.

And I was weak. I knew that if she could, what she'd have said to was to stop crying like a child and get moving...

But I couldn't. I wasn't her, all that I could do was lying there, embracing her dead body and weeping until draining my eyes.

There was another thing. Just another one. I knew where to look. I remembered almost all of the world she had on her body, I looked on the upper forearm, and I found the words I had suggested her to add. MILLENIUM GIRLS-FOREVER TOGETHER-NEVER AGREEING.

This was it. The "Forever" was no more. No eternal life, no salvation. She was dead.

"This is enough girl! Rise your hands or we start shooting!" the mercenaries had shaken.

"You're just lackeys. Pathetic scum. It's the girl I want. But you will pay too."

The Devil had refilled my musket, I knew this for certain. I shot blindly on them, and enjoyed their suffering.

What else could I do? There was noting left now but my mission, a mission with no hope of returning. Maybe.... maybe is some afterlife.... I could met her again. Yes. And finally make her meet Dragon.... afterlife. It was the first time I seriously considered it in my existence.

And then I felt a need, a urge, another.... call. Not the devil this time.... I bowed on her and started to lick her blood, not really sucking it, just taking what was on the floor. I could almost her her telling me that Schro was enough as a kitten and that I should drink like a real vampire..... but that was as far as I could get. And after every lick I felt more sure, more determined..... I felt I could do anything.... I cleaned her body, just licking, just taking what she could give me.... and when I stood, all my childish fears were washed away, I felt once again strong, I felt ready.

"So you taught me one last thing.... I must be really slow to learn." I said, cleaning one last tear. "thank you Zorin. Thank you for everything."

I should've closed her eyes, if only she still had them.... but that wasn't important. There was only one important thing as a funeral for her.

Killing Seras Victoria.

**I didn't think it was even possible to feel sad for Zorin. **


	14. Oathbreakers

**Dragon's POV again, i'm quite satisfied of this chapter. **

We heard the approaching army as if a stampede crossing into the air. It didn't take much to realize it wasn't only the Iscariots, and that the Templars were a mere branch of the incoming legion.

I was stunned, like I had seen that scene in my darkest nightmares and my eldest memories. Maxwell, in his glassy cage, was in the centre. Two thousands furious angels rode beside him, on their flying steeds, and their sight chased away my sanity.

The army of God.

My old, unforgotten enemies.

Their leader, Maxwell, sure, but in my mind the images of many men covered his own, started his speech. I could hardly understand the words, but the essence, the power behind them, was what hit me.

"So here they come. And we're stuck here." Integra's voice sounded like it was coming from a mile away. We were hiding behind the toppled car, no enemy was around us. But even that peace was just a calm before the storm the crusade would've rained upon us.

"Trickster. Wake up. You're not going to be useful if you don't move." Strangely, she sounded more caring than imposing.

"Sorry, Master... it's just some bad memory."  
_Since when do I call her master? _

"Well, now you must be focused. We don't know how long will it take before they find us."

"And what should we do?"

"Just waiting."

_I'm stuck here, I have to guard Integra, I can't where I should and my worse enemies are coming... and worst of all, I don't even KNOW where Rip is.  
_"I need a hug" I said to myself in a soft voice, sure that no on could hear.

"Me too. Come here."

"Integra?! Are you sure you're all right?"

"I miss Alucard." she said, plainly. She shown no emotion, but for a moment, she looked.... fragile.

We remained in each other's arms just for a few minutes at worse... but I felt a thousand different feeling in that short time. First of all, the unavoidable instinct that told me to bleed her. I could resist, but it confused me. Then there was some attraction towards her... and surely, the feeling I was betraying Rip. And furthermore, I felt Alucard's eye watching me, and and incredible sense of guilt.

It felt like a torture on one side, and a pleasure on the other. She was resting her head on my shoulder, her face still calm, even though a little less stubborn than usual. The contact with her body was something I craved for, a lust that had accompanied me through all the centuries of my existence. But now... now I felt a limit, like a rule, a self imposition to love no one but Rip.

And all it finished suddenly.

I felt the presence of another vampire flying to us. I tried to free freon the embrace, but I had no time.... it was a powerful one, a real foe, probably, and I had to be ready and fight....

The vampire landed.

"Police girl?" I and Integra yelled together.

She looked shocked more than surprised. I tried to hide my embarrassment, probably failing.

"Seras.... if you're here, I take the Manor has fallen already." said Integra.

"Yessir." Seras was sad, yet determined.

"Then we must organize our stand here. Dragon, as promised, you task is now to secure the blimps and their deserter."

"Finally! I'll come back soon! And police girl..."

"Yes?"

"You look good as a real vampire."

I didn't wait for an answer. I transformed, completely this time. The feeling of the scales growing on my skin as my throat filled again with fire was sublime. And one again I flew into the battle.

Unfortunately, the disposition of the Zeppelins had changed a lot since the last time. Actually, there was only one left, the admiral ship. Vatican helicopters were besieging it. Then, all of a sudden, they fell, like they had been torn apart.

Then I spotted the Major. And the Doctor. And Schroedinger. And...

"Walter?!"

I leapt forward to the top of the blimp, but they had seen me soon enough. The Major simply walked away, slowly, without caring. Doc followed him like a dog, while Schro and Walter stood their ground.

Well. Saying Schro "stood his ground" is not very precise. Let's say he prepared his seat in the front row.

I landed on the balloon returning immediately to my human form.

I and the butler stared at each other for a few, endless seconds.

"So you were with them all along, weren't you?" I asked. He stood, emotionless.

"I should've guessed it." I continued. "You called me Dragon. And in Hellsing everyone knew me as Trickster. You could've learnt that only from Millennium."

He shook his head, his impassiveness was disturbing.

"So are you going to fight me, _butler_? I wonder what will you do, throw teapots at me, perhaps, or.."

I couldn't finish the phrase. Something flew around my neck, holding it. Only when Walter pulled it to himself I realized it was a shiny nylon wire.

"You're trying to strangle me? Come on, be serious!"  
I realized he _was _serious when the wire started to pierce my skin and spill my blood. And I also realized what had it been to sunder the choppers.

"I will admit, I wasn't expecting that."

I jumped on him, only to be pushed back by another wire. It cut the skin on my chest and I landed on my back, still held by the thread around my neck. And it was getting tighter and tighter.

I tried another attack, parrying the incoming wire with the right claw while I performed the strike with the right. When I was sure I had taken him, I felt my wrist being scorched.

The tips of my nails were almost touching his face, I could almost scratch his preternaturally young skin.... but still, I couldn't move.

He pulled the edges of the wires, toppling me. Blood started to run copiously from my wounds, and my sight dyed red. Before me, Schroedinger was rolling of the floor, laughing.

I ran to the butler, dodging the flying wires. His style was preventable enough to avoid most of the strikes. When I was right at him, he pulled away my right arm, but my left was still free. I tried to hit once, twice, then kneed his balls.

No visible effect.

Then he grinned. He turned around, and before I could make up what was happening my feet were without a support.

I fell, hitting the side of the Zeppelin, sustained only by the cable that was digging deeper into my neck.

I pierced the balloon with my hand's nails, regretting I couldn't take off my boots right then. It seemed I was going to reach my personal record of transformations: I summoned the wings and jumped high above the blimp's top. As expected, Walter pulled the wires.

And it was just what I wanted.

I flew backwards, suddenly turning down and nosediving. The tension was sufficient to pull him.

He lost his balance. If I had had a chance, that was it.

I gabbed the balloon with one hand, pulling the wires with the other. When I felt his resistance, I pulled harder, without minding the pain in my palm, until he was on the edge.

Then I let myself fall.

He understood too late what was happening. When he reacted, we were both falling into the void.

He grabbed the blimp's side with a wire, still holding me with the other edge. But he was unfocused.

I flew to him, attacking him directly. For a few seconds, we were fighting in the air, in a a vortex of blows and dodges, without any order or plan. Then I was thrown against the glass, I felt it shattering and it's fragments hitting me. It was nothing compared to the wires though.

I cut the wire which held Walter to the blimp. I felt his whole weight falling on my neck, and for a second I thought I wasn't going to make it.

I thrust my nails in my neck, until I could feel the wire with the tip of my fingers.

And I cut.

After a last, painful moment while the wire slided out of the wound, it was over. I saw the butler hitting the ground far below.

"Au revoire. Try to stay dead, please." I said, almost whispering.

Then I turned to the inside of the Zeppelin. A whole battalion of vampires was lined in a semicircle around me. The Major was in the middle, aiming a luger at me.

"Excellent show, Hellsinger." he said, while he pulled the trigger sending me upside down in the air.

Luckily, my wings were still there. I landed without particular problems, apart from the fact that I was bleeding enough to feed Europe's population of mosquitoes.

As me feet kissed the beloved land, I received a whip in the back. A whip? No, a whip would not be so sharp.

A _wire._

He was still alive. Wounded, certain, bleeding, of course, but Walter C. Dollneazz was standing impassive before me.

We heard a loud, shrill whiz.

"Is that you?" I asked.

He nodded no. Then looked above himself.

CRASH!

Something had fallen on him, apparently form high above. Something metallic, apparently a device... I got closer to it. It had the remains of solar panels on its sides, and a parabola on its edge.

_A satellite..._

On its side there was a hole, more or less on the size of an apple. Or... the size of a big musket ball.

_This can't be, _i thought to myself, _even if she had shot the bullet in the right place, it would take hours just for it to reach the satellite, let alone bringing it down... this must've been shot before._

Then an illumination hit me. There was no doubt.

"That was a _real_ home run." I said.

It was more or less my last conscientious thought. After that, my mind got blurred by the wounds and the blood-thirst.

I felt it rising quicker than I expected, probably because I didn't think I was so hurt. It was a sensation I always tried to avoid, but this time was too late. The predator inside me had taken over.

I crept around, looking for a prey, craving for blood. I can't tell how long did I remain in that state, all I remember is the confused feelings of ghouls all around, their filthy and unsustainable smell, and the presence of paladins, far away. Then all vanished, like a bright trail the blood of a virgin lured me through the streets. I ran on my feet and arms, leaping to my gain. It didn't even try to escape. I bleeded her, and as her vitae rushed in me and rebuilt my body, I regained conciousness. When she was drain, and I full, I realized what had I done.

Even though I was breathless, I whispered one word: "Master..."


End file.
